Thursday, August 1, 2019
KNOWING CHRIST/TRUE CHRISTIANITY Done
7/31/2019
Hello, Everyone!
BELIEVE IT OR NOT! is no more! That is the name is no more;
however, the book still goes on - or books still go on.
Let me clarify. I was going to call my two new (and last) books
by BELIEVE IT OR NOT - With Song and
BELIEVE IT OR NOT - Without Song;
but I am deciding to name the first one KNOWING CHRIST
and the second one TRUE CHRISTIANITY.
Why? Because I think they are mostly about Christ -
and seeing Christ in a different way than most see Christ.
So I am changing the titles to reflect the emphasis;
but see the Intro below for more.
I am also choosing to add to the second book
a lot of songs. I didn't write any new songs to fit the old essays
included in the book that is now TRUE CHRISTIANITY,
but after each essay, I am adding an old song simply because
that is who I am. I have always liked song - and that is why
I have chosen to write them. So, why not fit in some old songs
to better reflect the author - me? Right?
Anyway, I just finished what I am calling TRUE CHRISTIANITY.
I thought I had finished what I am now calling KNOWING CHRIST
a few days ago, but tomorrow I will have to alter the Intro a bit
to fit the new name - and why I am calling it that.
Beyond that, though, I think I am done with the preparation
of my two new books. It is about 4 P.M. now as I do this -
and hopefully by this time tomorrow, both new books
will go off to Kindle, my publisher.
For those of you who care to see the index of TRUE CHRISTIANITY,
I will supply it below - and beyond that some article within
to share a sample. One article is actually called TRUE CHRISTIANITY,
but I think that one is too long for this sharing.
So, I will choose a shorter article. OK? Thanks!
All is Well here in Laramie. Nancy and I are fixin to go to a birthday
part for a friend, Ivory, in a few minutes. Ivory is turning 20, I think.
So, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Ivory!
Have A Good One - and Be in touch!
Gently,
Francis William Bessler
& Nancy Shaw
Laramie, Wyo.
www.una-bella-vita.com
TRUE CHRISTIANITY
By
Francis William Bessler
Compiled in 2019
Consisting of past works
From 1997 to 2017
Featuring
Original essays & songs
Mostly
Divine Naturist Christian
Oriented.
Copyright by
Francis William Bessler
Laramie, Wyoming
- 2019 -
INTRODUCTION
Hello! Consider this one of a two volume series that includes, as it were, past “leftover” essays and songs not included in my previous eight publications. Those eight works are:
1. WILD FLOWERS:
Features essays and songs mostly written as website blogs
from 2012 to 2014.
2. FIVE HEAVEN ON EARTH STORIES:
Features 5 philosophical stories written from 1975 – 2007.
3. EXPLORING THE SOUL - And BROTHER JESUS:
Features an analysis of several theories about the origin and destiny of the soul - and supplies an original idea too - originally written in 1988.
Also, features a new look at Jesus via an essay series written in 2005.
4. LOVING EVERYTHING (WILD FLOWERS # 2):
Features essays and songs mostly written as website blogs from 2014 to 2015, though songs often predate 2014 too.
5. JESUS ACCORDING TO THOMAS & MARY - AND ME:
Features The Gospels of Apostles of Jesus, Thomas & Mary Magdalene and a personal interpretation of each.
6. IT'S A NEW DAY! (WILD FLOWERS # 3):
Features essays and songs mostly written as website blogs from 2016 to 2017, though items often predate 2016 too - and 5 new songs since 2015
were added as well.
7. IMPRESSIONS OF FRANCIS & WILLIAM:
Features essay works written in 1994 about two of history:
St. Francis of Assisi (1182-1226) & William Penn (1644-1718).
8. SONGS BY A DIVINE NATURIST (CHRISTIAN):
Features all of my songs and poems written from 1963 to 2018;
Total: 204.
Recently in reviewing my works of the past, I performed a kind of “inventory” of those past works and noted which works – in terms of essays and songs – had not been included in any of my publications listed above. I did not expect to find many, but surprisingly found over 60. So, I decided to compile two more books that feature many of those unused articles. In so doing, I decided to compile one work that features essays that included a song and another work with essays that did not include a song. Sometimes I tried to feature an original song that I thought was appropriate for an essay at hand – and sometimes I didn’t.
To be “frank,” however, this work and a previous work – KNOWING CHRIST – are due to the passing of my son-in-law, Frank Sanchez, on May 17th of this year. Frank had been suffering for years from PTSD, acquired from serving in the U.S. Army in the Gulf War of 1991 or so. Frank chose to end his life at his own hand. I had no intention of compiling any more works beyond the works listed above, but when Frank passed at the age of 54, I remembered that I had written an essay about living after death called STILL ALIVE (written in 2010) that I had not included in a previous work. I mentioned to my wife, Nancy, who was Frank’s mother-in-law, that I was a bit sorry I had not included STILL ALIVE in a previous work; but then I thought that maybe I shouldn’t be sorry – and simply compile a work that does include it. Makes sense! Right?
From there, I performed that inventory I mentioned above and listed most of the articles I had written that had not been included in a previous work. I decided that maybe I should compile two new works and allow one (KNOWING CHRIST) to feature some essays that had included songs and another work (TRUE CHRISTIANITY) to feature essays that had not included a song; however, being song oriented as I am, I decided to add songs between essays in the previous “song-less” work called TRUE CHRISTIANITY – this current work. So, now both new works contain lots of past essays interspersed with past songs. How about that?
Since both new works are to a large degree, Christ oriented, I have named them according to an essay found within. The first new work is called KNOWING CHRIST – based on one of the articles within called by that same name, originally written in 1985; and this work is named TRUE CHRISTIANITY – based on an article within this work by the same name, originally written in 2007.
Not all articles within these two new works are “Christ oriented,” but for the most part, they are. It is good to keep in mind, however, that my “Christian” belief is not traditionally Christian in that I believe that Jesus was essentially a “wise man” for all and not just a “messiah” for the Jews. Just be mindful of that as you wade into my work – and works – if you choose to do so. OK?
Anyway, this work – TRUE CHRISTIANITY – and the previous work – KNOWING CHRIST – would not have been produced if Frank had not passed and given me opportunity to consider publishing a work with the aforementioned STILL ALIVE – which is featured in the previous work called KNOWING CHRIST.
Thanks, Frank! In a way, the world has you to thank for this issue of TRUE CHRISTIANITY and the associate work called KNOWING CHRIST. Perhaps your passing will give the world something it may not have had.
As it is, I am 77 as I do this volume, however I have been writing about my view of life since I was a seminarian at St. Thomas Seminary in Denver, Colorado (U.S.A.) for the Catholic priesthood in the ‘60s. I did not succeed to become a priest because “my thinking is not that of a Catholic priest,” however I have continued to write about my views for well over 50 years. I do not intend on writing any more essays or songs about my vision of life; but in the past, I guess you could say, I have written a lot - much of which has already been featured in a past publication.
That vision is, in brief, that All Life is Divine – or All Existence is Divine. Contrary to much traditional religion that believes that God can be separated from His or Her or It’s Created Works, I believe that God cannot be separated from Creation – and therefore, nothing needs to be “redeemed,” as it were, since nothing could have been separated from God. I also believe that Jesus really believed the same, though he has been presented as one who lived to “restore” a sinful man to an original glory. I will say no more on that – and will let my present essays and songs explain matters further. Enjoy them as you can and will. OK?
For what it’s worth, most of my writing has been of a spiritual or religious nature, however I have written some politically oriented essays too – and so expect a mix in this volume – TRUE CHRISTIANITY - and the other KNOWING CHRIST volume. I have compiled both works with the essays being in alphabetical order, though the songs are in random order; and since each article was written as a stand alone article at the time it was written, expect a lot of repetition. One article was written without another article “knowing” what was written, as it were.
In general, I consider myself a “Divine Naturist” for believing that All Nature is Divine. Accordingly, if All of Nature and All of Existence is really Divine – or Godly – then it stands to reason that Everywhere is Heaven – and Salvation, if you want to call it that – is only Acting like such is so.
With that, I leave you to consider my thoughts in this issue of TRUE CHRISTIANITY. If you like what you read and review in this production, then consider others of my works as well. See the end of this work for an inventory of all of my works, including this one.
Thanks for Listening!
Gently,
Francis William Bessler
Laramie, Wyoming
www.una-bella-vita.com
July 31st, 2019
CONTENTS
A CRITIQUE OF
AMERICAN DEMOCRACY (9/2007) ………………………. 10
Freedom Lives as Freedom Loves (Song: 5/2006) …………………... 12
A MINI REVIEW & CRITIQUE OF
GENESIS & EXODUS (2/2005) ……………………………… 14
When It’s All Said And Done (Song: 5/2007) ………………………... 27
AFTER PEACE – NOTHING! Or
THE TRUE NATURE OF PEACE (8/2004) …………………… 29
Go In Peace (Song: 1983) …………………………………………….. 35
ALONE – A PERSPECTIVE (8/2004) ……………………………… 37
An Island Unto Myself (Song: 5/2015) ……………………………….. 38
COMMENTS ON JESUS & IRAQ (12/2005) ……………………… 40
Consensus On Iraq (Song: 9/2003) …………………………………... 43
CONFLICT IN THE WORLD (5/2004) …………………………… 46
Two Ways (Song: 1/2009) …………………………………………….. 49
CRIME & CORRECTION (7/1997) ……………………………….. 51
This Accident Called Sin Society (Poem: 8/2007) …………………… 67
GOOD FRIDAY (4/2007) …………………………………………… 69
Who’s To Say? (Song: 1983) ………………………………………… 71
GUN RIGHTS AND THE 2ND AMENDMENT (10/2017) ………… 73
I Own The World (And I Don’t Need A Gun) (Song: 1/2013) ………. 74
HADITHA & BAGHDAD (6/2006) ………………………………… 76
There’s No Place (Song: 2/1999) …………………………………….. 78
I CHOSE (9/2005) …………………………………………………… 79
Lift Your Spirits High (Song: 1983) ……………………….………… 83
My Life Is My Own (Song: 2/2015) ………………………………….. 85
IMPEACHING A PRESIDENT (1/1999) …………………………. 87
Presidential Directive (Song: 1984) …………………………………. 89
IN MEMORY OF MOM (5/2004) ………………………………….. 92
Clara’s Hill (Song: 7/2009) …………………………………………… 94
LETTER ABOUT A NAKED HIKE (1/2002) …………………….. 96
Clothes Off To The Mystery Of Life (Poem: 10/2002) ……………… 101
LIFE & DEATH (9/2010) …………………………………………... 103
Life (And Death) (Poem: 10/2011) …………………………………… 106
MODERN ISRAEL – REASONS FOR CONFLICT (9/2001) …… 108
If I Could Talk With God (12/2008) …………………………………. 119
MY LIFE & MY DREAM (10/1999) ………………………………. 121
I’m A Free Soul (Song: 8/2009) ……………………………………... 123
MY LIFE & MY DEDICATION (10/1999) ……………………….. 125
My Intentions (Song: 10/2007) ………………………………………. 127
It’s Such A Simple Thing (Song: 2/2015) …………………………… 128
MY WORLD (1/2006) ………………………………………………. 130
Sense Of Belonging (Song: 1/2009) …………………………………. 134
POPE JOHN PAUL II – AND ME (4/2005) ………………………. 136
I’m A Wealthy Person (Song: 7/2007) ……………………………….. 138
POPE JOHN PAUL II – AND PRESIDENT BUSH (4/2005) ……. 140
The Key For Finding Peace (Song: 5/2005) ………………………… 142
PRIMARY HEALTH CARE FOR ALL (10/2010) ……………….. 144
Open Up The Doors (Song: 3/2006) …………………………………. 146
REMEMBERING SISTER DOROTHY (1/2003) ………………… 147
When The Roses Bloom Again (4/2003) ……………………………. 149
THE AWFUL MISUSE OF THE CRUCIFIXION (2/2004) ……... 151
I’ve Got A Bone To Pick (Song: 5/2004) ……………………………. 157
THE EXTINCTION OF AMERICA (5/2004) …………………….. 160
Wake Up (Song: 6/2009) ……………………………………………… 163
THE MEANING OF EASTER (2005) (3/2005) …………………… 165
Isn’t Life Grand, Babe? (Song: 12/2010) ……………………………. 167
THE MEANING OF THE CRUCIFIXION FOR ME (2/2004) ….. 169
Wise As A Serpent And Innocent As A Dove (Song: 6/2017) ……….. 178
THE STORY OF HENRY WALLACE (4/2005) ………………….. 180
I Believe In Independence (Poem: 6/2005) ………………………….. 185
THE NAMING OF ME (1/2010) ……………………………………. 187
Hello, Everybody! (Song: 12/2011) …………………………………… 190
TRUE CHRISTIANITY (2/2007) …………………………………… 192
Jesus Is My Way (Song: 11/2008) ……………………………………. 202
I Am Beautiful And So Are You (Song: 10/2013) ……………………. 203
Heaven (Song: 2/2014) ………………………………………………… 206
The Mystery Of God (Song: 3/2007) ………………………………….. 208
ABOUT THE AUTHOR ……………………………………………… 210
BOOKS BY THE AUTHOR ………………………………………….. 211