What 'That 70's Show' Taught Me About Christianity

What in the world could I have possibly learned about Christianity from "That 70's Show"? I'm sure that's what everyone is thinking right about now.

Well today I was watching it and the episode was about the family going to church and generally their take on religion. The kids didn't want to go and the mom wanted them to because she kept having these dreams about how if she wasn't a "Good Christian" and taking her kids to church God wasn't going to let her into heaven.

The dad didn't like going to church because it was boring and he didn't see any point to it. The daughter kept hitting on the youth pastor and overall it was a pretty funny show...but I digress. What it taught me was that people need to know what being a Christian really means to us and to God!

What do you think would have been the kids reaction to going to church if they realized that they didn't have to go? Do you think they would of wanted to go because they wanted to get to know the God that sent his son Jesus to die on the Cross for their sins? Do you think the mom's life would of been a lot less stressful if she realized she wasn't responsible for the fate of herself and her family? That she could of gotten into heaven the way she imagined by just accepting God's gift of salvation by faith? And the daughter that kept flirting with the youth pastor? Well, she probably wouldn't have been looking to satisfy her need for intimacy with so many different people when she realized how much God loved her and desired her companionship.

It's amazing how much it would help the lives of these people on "That 70's Show" if they realized who they were and who God is. Would it change your life if you knew these things? God created you and me and loves us very much (Genesis 1:1). He gave us all life and deserves our love and gratitude. But we chose to disobey Him and all of us has failed to do what is right (Romans 3:23). We may not be as sinful as that guy down the street or we may be even worse than him or anyone else we know; but either way we are ALL guilty before God (1 John 1:8).

God is a perfect, completely good, and always just. Because of this He can't overlook the fact that we have all sinned. The Bible says, "The wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). The fair punishment we deserve for our rebellion against God is death.

Jesus, the only Son of God, came to earth and lived a perfect sinless life--he was completely innocent. He received the punishment that we deserved when he was crucified on the cross, he took it all upon himself--the death sentence that should of been ours. (Romans 5:8) But he did not remain dead, after three days he rose from the grave and later ascended into heaven. And he will return one day. Jesus died for you. You can be saved by asking Him for forgiveness from your sins. If you are willing to repent of your sin, He is waiting to forgive you. It doesn't matter what you have done in the past, if you cry out to Jesus for forgiveness, He won't reject you. The word "repent" literally means "to turn away from." You need to look at your life, admit that you are a sinner, genuinely desire to turn your back on that sin, and ask Him to forgive you. If you do this, He promises to forgive you.

True Christianity is not about attending a particular church, or trying to make your behavior fit some model of how a Christian should act. Being a Christian means that you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, that He is your Savior. Jesus is always present. He can hear you now if you ask Him for forgiveness. If you want to pray and ask Jesus to be your Savior, you can say a prayer something like this:

"Jesus, I know that I am a sinner. The truth is that I have sinned by my choice, and I am responsible for it. I know that the fair punishment for my sin is death. Jesus, I believe that You died in my place. Forgive me for my sin. I am relying totally on You because I know that I can do nothing to fix my situation. I repent. Come into my life, take away my sin, and give me the life that you've promised me."

If you have prayed this, YOU ARE SAVED! You are now completely forgiven, a new creation, holy and blameless in the eyes of God. If you messed up here and there, don't worry, the words are not what's important--they are just simply our faith being expressed through prayer.

Congratulations and welcome to the family of God!

The Purpose of Creation: the Kabbalah of Transformation

”I want to know how God created this world. I am not interested in this or that phenomenon, in the spectrum of this or that element. I want to know His thoughts; the rest are details”. – Albert Einstein

“…I would ask, ‘Why was the universe created?’ Because then I would know the meaning of my own life.” -- Albert Einstein

G-d is infinite and ungraspable. By definition, the more we understand, the more there is to understand.

But to know how G-d created this world, His intent and purpose, not only is possible, but part of our mission on this earth.

Kabbalah is the key.

Some traditions describe our world as a school; a place where souls come and go in order to learn important lessons. But, even though incarnation in a physical body is the vehicle through which the soul expresses itself and its potential, this is far from the whole story.

Life in a body does more than usher the soul through a series of developmental stages. The ultimate aim of life in a body is to provide us with the chance to become intimate with G-d, to ‘know His thoughts’.

Kabbalah explains that there are many levels of spiritual beings, such as angels, and that all of these are powerfully aware of their spiritual source. In fact, this experience is the most important feature of their existence. It defines who and what they are. To these beings, the experience of G-d is all encompassing. They relate to Him like a humble and insignificant servant relates to a great and mighty king. The servant’s entire life is devoted to the king; the king is his whole reality. But the two remain separated by an enormous, unbridgeable chasm. The servant will serve the king faithfully, but he will never be able to relate to him.

This is not true for us.

Paradoxically, it is precisely through our limiting experience as souls in physical bodies that we can come to know G-d. We will know Him not only from a distance, as servants, but up close and personal. Passionately. Intimately.

Let’s look at why.

G-d is ‘above it all’, independent of, all circumstances; Creator and source. He is the only reality. Everything else that exists is only a highly limited expression of Him. The beings that inhabit the many spiritual worlds all take vast pleasure in His presence, praise and serve Him. But beyond that they are passive recipients. Like rays of sunlight to the sun, they experience and express the light of their source, but no more than that.

Physical beings are different. By definition, we physical beings, in our untransformed state, cannot sense our spiritual source. Instead of experiencing G-d as the center of our existence, as the sun, and ourselves as a ray of sunlight, we feel like the center. We ourselves, and our own perspective, are more real to us than anything else.

It is our nature to feel sourceless, separate, alone, and centered in our own unique and limited experience. Despite the fact that G-d is the only reality, our experience contradicts this fact. Instead, we inevitably experience ourselves, our circumstances and our perspective as real and G-d as a concept.

This is as far as you can get from the truth.

In addition, this essential isolation and self-centeredness is the root cause of most of the conflict and suffering that human beings experience. We are cut off from the larger picture. We are disconnected from each other. We feel insubstantial and vulnerable. We compete for resources, like love, attention, success, recognition and money. Much of the time we experience life as the struggle for physical and emotional survival.

For all of these reasons, Kabbalah calls this physical world “the lowest world”.

But paradoxically, this ‘lowest world’ is where all the action is. This is the only place where the purpose of Creation can be fulfilled. This is true because of our uniquely limited nature, because of the fact that we feel sourceless, solid and alone. Only we physical beings have the potential to actually ‘relate’ to G-d, who is in fact, sourceless, and ‘alone’ - the only reality.

Here’s the paradox: As long as we are in the dark, blind to our source, we remain the ‘lowest world’, a world of darkness, suffering and evil.

But, when we begin to see through our own limitations to our source and purpose, we become the highest. We will always maintain the sense of unique ‘selfness’ and solidity that makes us human, but this ‘selfness’ will be fully illuminated by something beyond the limitations of our human experience. We will gain a tangible awareness of G-d’s presence and purpose in every detail of our human lives. What initially concealed the truth will ultimately reveal it.

Through this process, this physical, ‘lowest’ world will become the place where G-d is most fully expressed, His true home.

This transformation is the purpose of creation. You are here to take a world that is blind to the truth, filled with darkness, negativity and evil, and transform it into a home for G-d. To reconnect with your source. To allow the light of your soul, and the awareness of your Creator, to shine through the limitations of your solid, physical body and linear mind.

In embracing this mission, you will begin by transforming yourself and your environment. More and more, you will live a life that is an expression of your own highest potential. And in doing so, you will create an inhabitable world; a world that is a joy to live in, a true home.

This is the ultimate win-win. And, by the way, it’s the ultimate reward. Kabbalah views the afterlife as a temporary stopping place between one incarnation and the next, where learning is processed, corrections made, and the soul cleansed and refreshed. The real reward is here, on earth, as evolved souls, in transformed bodies, in a transformed world. Sharing a home with G-d.

We are in the final stage of the transformation process, at the end of the millennia of darkness and separation. It is time to reconnect with our source. Our souls sense this, even if our consciousness is a step behind. That’s why so many of us are searchers. And that’s why for the first time, the Divine wisdom of Kabbalah has been made available to ordinary people.

As a culture we have begun the transition from blindness and self-centeredness to wisdom and purpose. We are becoming searchers. It’s possible now – with the right knowledge and with sincere effort - to see through the walls of our physical existence to the true nature and purpose of life. To begin to know the thoughts of G-d.

In this process, Kabbalah is our guide.

Kabbalah as the blueprint for Creation, is the inner spiritual process through which G-d creates, sustains and transforms our world. Since it is the blueprint, studying Kabbalah will automatically give you insights into the workings of your own soul and the world around you.

And, because we are entering the climax of history, the path of authentic Kabbalah has been opened to every person, Jewish or otherwise, who sincerely wishes to reach his highest potential as a human being created in the image of G-d.

As a side effect, it will change your world.

A Partnership With God

Hey, God is trying to partner with you! He wants you, to invite Him, into your life. God says: Draw nearer to me; and I will draw nearer to you (James 4:8). However, you've chosen to operate as a soul proprietor. God is willing to take all your worries, all your cares and all your problems. In return, He is offering eternal life, a perfect peace, unconditional love and riches in your house. The contract further stipulates that God will always protect and take care of you. It is agreed that the Power belongs to God (Psalms 62:11), but is yours for the asking. God hereby designates that He will provide all your needs and give you joy, unspeakable.

I really don't think it gets any better than this. I mean, who really succeeds in anything alone? Many of us often wonder: Why can't I get ahead? Is it possible that we can't get ahead because we keep leaving God, behind? When we partner with God, we trust, whole-heartedly that He can and will take care of us. We live our lives knowing that God has everything in control. Whereas, when we choose to operate as a soul proprietor, we tell God that we are in control and that He is not invited to be a part of our lives. This illustrates a lack of trust and a lack of knowing. How can we ever be successful under these conditions?

Give God a partnership in your life today and immediately receive the keys to His Kingdom.

Top Ten Religion Quotations

Review your religious beliefs with these revealing quotations all about religion...

1. "Ethical religion can be real only to those who are engaged in ceaseless efforts at moral improvement. By moving upward we acquire faith in an upward movement, without limit."
   -- Felix Adler (1851-1933)American educator
2. "The true meaning of religion is thus not simply morality, but morality touched by emotion."
   -- Matthew Arnold (1822-88)British poet, critic
3. "Religion is what keeps the poor man from murdering the rich."
   -- Napolean Bonaparte (1769-1821)
4. "To die for a religion is easier than to live it absolutely."
   -- Jorge Luis Borges (1899-1986)Argentinean writer
5. "In the matter of religion, people eagerly fasten their eyes on the difference between their own creed and yours; whilst the charm of the study is in finding the agreements and identities in all the religions of humanity."
   -- Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-82) American writer, philosopher, poet, essayist
6. "Religion is not what you will get after reading all the scriptures of the world. It is not really what is grasped by the grain. It is a heart grasp."
   -- Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948) [Mahatma] India nationalist, spiritual leader
7. "Calling Atheism a religion is like calling bald a hair color."
   -- Don Hirschberg
8. "People need religion. It's a vehicle for a moral tradition. A crucial role. Nothing can take its place."
   -- Irving Kristol
9. "Matters of religion should never be matters of controversy. We neither argue with a lover about his taste, nor condemn him, if we are just, for knowing so human a passion."
   -- George Santayana (1863-1952) Spanish-born American philosopher, writer
10. "Religion consists of a set of things which the average man thinks he believes and wishes he was certain."
    -- Mark Twain (1835-1910) [Samuel Langhorne Clemens] American author, humorist