Growing up I was taught to view Jesus as a false prophet.
If I were to mention his name to another Jew, I would simply be laughed at.
I thought that this was normal.
The consistent negative reactions I would get when talking about Jesus made me hate him.
I would try to erase his name from my mind completely.
However, one day I had a life changing epiphany…
I realized that I was getting absolutely nowhere practicing as a Jew after many years of doing so.
In hindsight THE ONLY BENEFIT was receiving presents from my bar-mitzvah, Hanukkah, and spending time with family…THAT’S LITERALLY IT!
I DID NOT feel connected to God when I prayed in temple.
I began to despise anything to do with Judaism.
For I realized that I was actually being kept from having a loving relationship with Jesus.
Talk about hardcore spiritual brainwashing…YUCK!!!
It plummeted me into the dark night of the soul once again, begging God for help.
I knew that there must be another way to connect with God.
Sure enough, my life changed completely for the better once I embraced spirituality.
A way of life that I was personally comfortable with.
A way of life that resonated with my soul.
At one point I began to learn about Christ Consciousness.
I read several different recommended books; one of them being A Course In Miracles.
I was eager to learn more.
I was finally free to embrace Jesus into my heart. Amen! Yay! 🙂
I read the New Testament and The Old Testament.
I watched tons of videos online.
I asked many questions and discovered answers.
I became a truth seeker and realized just how many false prophets are out there in this world, trying to brainwash you into being a compliant mindless robot. So that their cult can continue to profit (for without money and support they cease to exist).
The bottom line is that yes, there are definitely many authentic spiritual teachers that are out there in this world (and deserve to be paid and rooted for lavishly).
BUT, if a single one of these teachers are telling you that:
There is only one way to connect with God, to Jesus, the angels (or whatever divine figure you connect with) then they are either unaware that this isn’t true because they do not know any better, or because they are deeply in ego with the desire to control you.
If the divine is infinite, then by definition, there are infinitely more possibilities than just one “right way” of doing something.
If anything, that’s what the contrast of being in and out of the jewish cult taught me.
That just because you were born into a certain religion or family doesn’t necessarily mean you belong there (in my case Judaism).
Thank God, thank Jesus, and thank the angels that I have the most amazing relationship with so many of my immediate family members (including my mother and father).
Even if we don’t see eye to eye on everything. I am so blessed and so fortunate to still have them in my life.
On the other hand though, there are also many family members that feel like strangers to me.
I actually consider many non-blood friends and family to be my soul tribe.
My true allies and companions who do not judge me.
Instead they understand me and embrace me for the real me.
They love me as much as Jesus loves me. The way that it should be.
P.S. Here’s a podcast I made talking about a small book that helped me connect with God SO much more easily. I hope that you find it to be both insightful and inspirational!