When Christianity "superseded" Judaism, beginning with Paul, reinforced by the New Testament, Epistle of Barnabus and Melito the Bishop of Sardis, and consummated by Constantine with the Council of Nicea, it effectively sealed a metaphysical worldview for western civilization, gutted a meaningful understanding of time, and castrated ethics to the level of eunuch, individualized behavior for personal accomplishment and reward.
Now if that has your attention, let me back up and try to be a little more explanatory and less belligerent. I admit that is harsh language in the first paragraph.
Today I will only deal with the first element of my accusation; the other two will follow in due time. And that first accusation is that Christianity is based on a Platonic metaphysics. The postulation of a metaphysical realm belittles and subordinates the physical world, physical reality to second class citizenship, inferiority, and ultimate meaninglessness. Here was Christianity's first step of separation from its Jewish roots. Judaism, beginning with Genesis 1:1, affirms the goodness, the reality, the closeness of this world "with God" and calls it GOOD! Day by day in some of the world's most beautiful poetry, metaphorical language, Judaism affirms and gives gratitude for this cosmos. Here is where human history is played out. Here is where humankind's relationship with 'God" takes place. This is not a dress rehearsal; this is not a make believe. THIS is life; this is meaning; this is our one chance to receive and give love, the fabric that binds us to the ground of all being and creates community. Any concept of an "other" world is hollow, a shadow, empty, vaporous, dead end.
Life is a gift. There is "no place" to go when we die. So dance, love, live, serve, give thanks!
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