Tuesday, January 7, 2025
Welcome to "Gentile Christianity"!
January, 2025
Francis William Bessler,
Laramie, Wyoming, U.S.A.
willieb@wyoming.com
una-bella-vita.com & francisbessler.com
Hello, Everybody!
HAPPY NEW YEAR! I don’t know about you, but I plan to start my 2025 as I ended 2024 – and I think that is how life goes in general. We simply continue on as we left off in a past setting. Very importantly, we become what we were. Like Jesus offered in one of my favorite books – THE GOSPEL OF THOMAS – when he was asked by a disciple to tell him how his end would be, Jesus responded: Have you then discovered the beginning that you inquire about the end?
And that is how it is, I think – consistent with most endings. We simply continue as we were when we cross some border. My Dear Nancy crossed the border of death on November 1, 2023 – and it is likely she will continue as she was in her next life and incarnation. Guess you could call that “judgment.” We simply continue in a next journey as we ended in a last journey. Our next beginning is simply a continuation of a last ending! Anyway, that is what I believe – mostly because year in and year out, that has been the “evidence” of my life. With every new year, I have simply continued on as I ended a last one. Pretty simple, Huh? Haven’t you found that to be true too?
We can change, however. I am not arguing against that. For instance, I began life being a Jewish or Judaic Christian – meaning I believed that Jesus was a “Lord” because he was promoted as a “Jewish Messiah.” That’s what the Christian BIBLE taught – and being a Catholic Christian as I was baptized to be when I was just two months old, I believed it. I was taught that a “messiah” was needed to restore mankind to God – from Whom it was supposedly separated in some early beginning – as was claimed in the first book of the Christian BIBLE - Genesis. It was easy to be a believer in a Lord Jesus when I believed what I was taught that mankind had become separated from God and needed to be restored to Him to be “saved.”
Then while I was studying for the Catholic priesthood when I was a junior at St. Thomas Seminary in Denver, Colorado in 1964, I meditated my way out of believing that a Lord Jesus was needed because I theorized that an Infinite God cannot be separated from anything – let alone anyone. Oops! There went my need for a Lord Jesus to reunite me to a God with Whom I could have never been separated because an Infinite God must be IN everything. That meant that if I were to continue to be a “student” of Jesus, I had to find a different meaning to Jesus than being a necessary “Jewish Messiah.”
I wandered for quite a spell trying to imagine a new meaning to Jesus than that of a “messiah” because if an Infinite God must be IN everyone, no one would need to be “restored” to God because no one could have been separated from God. Then in 1979 a very good friend, Russ Pope, handed me a copy of a gospel, banned in the 4th century, called THE GOSPEL OF THOMAS – and presto, I found my new explanation for Jesus.
I know many think the early Christian church banned THE GOSPEL OF THOMAS as being “heretical,” but I found it to be in sympathy with what I had come to believe. So, it was not heresy to me. In essence, I changed to believe what THE GOSPEL OF THOMAS would claim before I found it – and that is probably why I believe in it so much. It confirmed – and confirms – what I had come to believe – that an Infinite God must be IN everything and because that is so, everything must be Divine & Holy. If everything and everyone must be Divine & Holy, then Heaven must be at hand; and I do believe that is what Jesus really taught.
Heretic that I am, if you want to call me that, my experience is that one can change. I changed from being a Catholic Christian to be what some might call a Gentile Christian. Early “Gentiles” were outside of Judaism – and some new Jewish Christians believed that you had to be a Jew before you could become a Christian because you had to believe Jesus was a “Jewish Messiah” to become a Christian. How could you become a “Christian” if you did not believe Jesus Christ was a Jewish Messiah?
Well, that made sense to me early on – and I was even committed to become a Catholic priest to promote it; but then while I was studying for the Catholic priesthood, I meditated my way out of such a belief. I came to believe in an Infinite God Which – not Who – must be Everywhere. I continued my study at St. Thomas Seminary for a few more years, challenging some Catholic doctrine with this essay or written work or that until I finally finished my 5th of an 8 year course. At the conclusion of my 5th year, I was called in to the rector’s office and the rector, Father Danagher, told me I was being dismissed from further study because “your thinking is not that of a Catholic priest.”
And, of course, it wasn’t. Looking back, I do not know why I stayed beyond my junior year in college at St. Thomas and had to be dismissed after a 1st year of “theology,” but I guess I stayed to be sure I was right with my “new thinking.”
Anyway, my point is that one can change; but for the most part, evidence shows that one simply continues on in a new journey as one finished a last one. Since my junior year at St. Thomas, I have not changed in my belief that there is an Infinite God and that that Infinite God must be IN everything, making everything Sacred, as it were, because our source, God, is Sacred. After coming to that conclusion by the time I was 22 at St. Thomas, and being handed a copy of THE GOSPEL OF THOMAS when I was 37, I have changed to see a “new Jesus.”
So, as we begin a new year, I encourage others to change as I changed – to embrace a “new idea” about God and to embrace a gospel written by one of the apostles of Jesus – Thomas – that confirms that “new idea” – for the most part. I know change is difficult, but as I changed, anyone can change.
Let’s face it! Different people have different ideas about life and often relate tales according to that belief. Many do not believe that God must be Infinite and present in all things and want to believe that restoration to a separated God must happen for one to be “saved” – and so they write tales to support that view like Peter, Paul, Mathew, Mark, Luke and John of the BIBLE - but there were others who knew Jesus too who believed like I do now – that Jesus could not have been a “lord” to save others from a sin they could not have, but rather only a “Master” who taught that everyone is a “son of God” because everyone is of God. It is as simple as that.
In THE GOSPEL OF THOMAS, it is stated:
Jesus said: If those who lead you say to you: “See, the Kingdom is in heaven”, then the birds of the heaven will precede you. If they say to you: “It is in the sea,” then the fish will precede you. But the Kingdom is within you and it is without you. If you (will) know yourselves, then you will be known and you will know that you are the sons of the Living Father. But if you do not know yourselves, then you are in poverty and you are poverty.
And not only Thomas – as perhaps a Gentile in his day – believed in a “Sage Jesus,” not necessarily connected to Jewish beliefs of a past, but in 2004, I chanced upon another “gospel” banned by “Messianic Christianity” in the 4th century called THE GOSPEL OF MARY MAGDALENE. Lucky me! In my life, I have discovered at least two ancient works that in a large way confirm what I have believed for most of my life.
What’s that? Well, to put it briefly, all Christians can be “Gentile Christians” who do not have to tie Jesus to the story of the Jews. I consider myself to be a “Gentile Christian” for having no necessary ties to the supposition of Jewish legend that mankind can be separated from God and needs to be restored to God to be “saved.” The Jesus of Thomas and Mary Magdalene would disagree; and I heartily agree with them.
In THE GOSPEL OF MARY MAGDALENE, Jesus offers to Peter that there is no such thing as sin in terms of one “inheriting” sin. Peter said to him, “You have explained everything to us. Tell us also, what is the sin of the world?” The savior replied, “There is no such thing as sin, but you create sin when you mingle as in adultery, and this is called sin.
So, according to THE GOSPEL OF MARY MAGDALENE, sin is not “separation from God,” but that which one “creates” on his or her own – as for example, adultery. Thus, if you do not want to sin, don’t “create it” by acting without courtesy and honor. In the same gospel, it is offered: When the blessed one said this, he greeted all of them and said, “Peace be with you. Receive my peace. Be careful that no one leads you astray by saying, ‘Look here’ or ‘Look there.’ The child of humanity is within you. Follow that. Those who seek it will find it. Go and preach the good news of the kingdom. Do not lay down any rules other than what I have given you, and do not establish law, as the lawgiver did, or you will be bound by it.” When he said this, he left them.
Well, I won’t go into further details, but I encourage all to look into the Wonderful Gospels of Thomas & Mary in our new year – and perhaps realize that it is just fine to be a “Gentile Christian” – which is really to be a “Gentle Christian” or one who believes that all should be “gentle” in their dealing with others – and that is the way the “real Jesus” would like us to be.
Of course, anyone can share those gospels and offer a service, but if I am available and you would like me to share those gospels – perhaps in an alternate church service or somehow, on my own - I will do the best I can; and you can too. Check out my websites which are declared above to help you in your “new journey” if you wish. OK? Through my websites, I even supply the gospels in a book I wrote called JESUS ACCORDING TO THOMAS AND MARY – AND ME. Alright?
I will leave you with the final section of an article I called “The Mystery Of Jesus” in my book I called LOVING EVERYTHING, published in 2015. I argued in that article that times have changed since Jesus lived. I will leave it at that and let my article speak for itself, as it were, ending with a song I wrote called Can The House Of God Be Divided? Enjoy it as you will. If you like the ending, you will probably like the entire article – and the entire book. Bye for now! Be in touch!
Again – HAPPY NEW YEAR!
ALL MY LOVE!
Gently,
Gentile (or Gentle)
Francis William Bessler (Frank/Will/Sonny)
A Different World
We live in a different world in our 21st Century than that of Jesus and his friends. We have now been to that Moon that could only have been an amazement to those in the times of Jesus. We know now that it is much like our Earth - just smaller and without any life. We know now that the Sun is the center of our universe and we know that our light & energy comes from our Sun and not from the god of the Old Testament. We know now that the world of heavenly bodies probably never ends; and there is that word "probably" again. We can't prove it doesn't end, but our science can leave us with no other conclusion than that it "probably" is infinite. Wow! It seems that galaxy after galaxy after galaxy extends and extends and extends from where we are on Earth. So, where can it end?
What should that tell us? For one, it should emphasize even more that there can be no Hell and no Heaven in terms of God being absent in one and present in the other. It makes no sense. How can there be a single spot in all of existence where God is absent? And if God is not absent anywhere in the entire span of our wonderful Creation, then maybe it is time we woke up and realized that Heaven is Here, as well as Everywhere - and started acting like we are really in Paradise and always have been – and always will be because God will always be Present.
So, what do you think? Which Jesus is right? And what is the real kingdom of Jesus - and where is it? I think it's here; and that is how I choose to live my life, looking for the child of humanity within me, abiding by the rule of kindness or gentleness and imposing no law on others. There are kingdoms of law; and there are kingdoms of rule; but they are not the same. Law says, thou shall not; but if you do, you will be punished. Rule says, thou shall; but if you don’t, neither will you belong. There is no law that can command kindness, gentleness, and forgiveness. It’s entirely “rule of the heart." It is up to each to choose and have to live with the choice - at least until another choice is made.
Or so, I Believe!
Can The
House Of God
Be Divided?
A song or poem
By
Francis William Bessler
Laramie, Wyoming
10/31/2011
REFRAIN:
Can the house of God be divided?
Can it be split in two?
Is it possible for God to be on one side
and missing from the other’s view?
If the house of God cannot be divided,
then this is the story, friends,
you are in the house of God;
and that house can never end.
A long, long time ago,
Jesus said, Heaven’s everywhere.
He said that the Kingdom’s
spread upon the earth
though men don’t seem to care.
Don’t be fooled, he said,
if others claim it’s here or there.
Just open your eyes and heart
and look around and be aware.
Refrain.
Jesus said, if Heaven’s up above,
then the birds will precede you.
He said, if it’s in the sea,
the fish will get there before you do.
But the Kingdom’s inside of you, he said,
and also outside, it’s true.
Just know that you’re a son of God
and be delighted with the view.
Refrain.
So many think that God
belongs to only some,
but we’re all God’s children
and that means
God belongs to everyone.
Some believe that when they die,
they will see God face to face;
but God’s not a person
with eyes and ears.
It’s simply a Presence
that’s everyplace.
Refrain.
You can’t divide the Infinite
for how can you divide
what has no ends?
If you think you can divide
what has no middle,
tell me how it can be done, my friend.
In truth, no one can lose God
because Infinite Division
is an impossible deed.
If God cannot be
separated from anything,
then God must be Present in thee.
Refrain.
ENDING:
Yes – in life – as in death –
and as in any life that may proceed,
If God cannot be
separated from anything,
then God will always be
Present in thee.
P.S
Feel welcome to respond to my idea of a “new branch” of Christianity
I call “GENTILE CHRISTIANITY.”
It has worked for me in practice for over 40 years,
but what do you think of the concept – and the name?