God's "double-blind" experiment?

[Duane]

In going to "collach" for four years and taking "sycology" I learnt what a "double-blind" experiment was
and I think it may apply here. 

For those who are unfamiliar with the term-and there is no practical reason for knowing it- it is when a person is told to do a "task" for a certain reason --EXCEPT only the moderator knows the true meaning of what is being looked for -as the person does the task.  A double blind means that the moderator is PART of the experiment and DOESN'T know it!  The final result includes ALL their efforts--much to the surprise of the moderator and student as to what they all were really being observed doing.

Sooo--Jesus spoke to the masses in parables, many of whom walked away thinking they knew what Jesus meant, ie: the "sower and the seed" was "obviously" about farming and where to avoid throwing your seed if you want a good return on your crop!  The rest walked away not understanding even that!

Jesus explained the meaning of the parables to the disciples who then were the ONLY listeners who understood Jesus's point of the parables. 

Now there are the Bible "scholars" that study the Bible all of their lives and pass on the knowledge and meaning to the next generation, who get all the facts straight after a life-time of learning---

THEN  along comes Ray and the "EXPOSING---"  WEB-SITE and turns all of what we grew up KNOWING TO BE THE WORD OF GOD--on "it's head" ---with even a new vocabulary ie:eons/ionians etc. and new Bible verses to explain about EVERYTHING in a new and different way! MOST ANNOYINGLY, it ALL makes sense--after weeks of serious study!

Therefore, I guess the ELECT are the ONLY ones who REALLY understand that a majority of the BIBLE
is just another parable that "the masses believe they get!" and really don't. 

So, we TRY to explain the various differing doctrines to them, and it is just like explaining to the first
parable hearer that Jesus wasn't REALLY talking about seed placement and they argue to you that EVERYTHING Jesus said about seeds landing on dry ground, thorny ground and furtile ground was AGRICULTURALLY accurate--so being a "city kid" YOU/WE just wouldn't understand!! 

So WE ought to study the parable further, and don't question it, and WE will see that Jesus knew what he was talking about when and if we ever plant seed!  God looks at all of us and "just shakes His head"?

[judith collier]

Hey Duane, isn't it great!!!!

[claypot]

Good stuff, really good stuff. Thanks Duane.

cp

[Kat]

Hi Duane,

Good observation. Indeed it is not up to us to 'get it,' the truth is only for those who have been 'given' eyes to see and ears to hear.

Mat 13:10  And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?"
v. 11  He answered and said to them, "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.
v. 12  For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
v. 13  Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
v. 14  And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:
       "Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,
       And seeing you will see and not perceive;
v. 15  For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
       Their ears are hard of hearing,
       And their eyes they have closed,
       Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
       Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
       So that I should heal them.'

mercy, peace and love
Kat

[christalfan]

Hi Duane, [and the Forum]

I'm an ex-pentecostal pastor. The most painful thing that ever happened to me was when I tried to convince the very 'church' I was pastoring - THAT I WAS WRONG ALL ALONG! In fact, they could not bare any longer with their very teacher  . That the 'rich man and Lazarus' story I use to preach literal was a parable [of such grand spiritual teaching] was enough for them to kick me out! There was no way I could talk to them even when I tried the parable of the prodigal son!

Surely this is a wise saying by Ray - 'THE BLIND CAN'T SEE!' Even after I came to undestanding this simple fact, the very thought that they couldn't see and hear, made me cry a lot!

A brother in Christ,
Christalfan,
South Africa.

[mcmiller]

Ray often talks about how the entire bible is a parable.  I believe this is true, and here is why.  Jesus explicitly states that He teaches in parables.  We also know that the One who became the man Jesus was the I Am of the old testament.  Therefore, since the bible is the Spirit inspired word of God (all the writers wrote what Jesus inspired) then all of these writings must be in parable form since He is always the same and never changes.  The new testament writers were also inspired and directed by this same Spirit, and therefore must also have writen in parable form.  I guess the real proof of all this is that whatever the "church" has taken form the bible and claims to be literal truth is in error, showing that they neither see or hear what the Spirit says.

Mark

[daywalker]

I doubt that any of those who heard Christ's teachings thought He was teaching about agriculture or whatever else He 'literally' said. I'm sure they all knew He was using riddles and symbolism--they just didn't understand the message He was teaching. It's not uncommon for philosophers to use riddles and symbolism in their teaching and it wasn't uncommon back then either. But just because you know that someone is speaking in riddles, doesn't mean you understand those riddles.

Also, keep in mind that the even Chris's Disciples didn't understand the parables [including the ones He privately explained to them] until after His Resurrection when He "opened up their minds to understand the Scriptures".

Daywalker 

[aqrinc]

In going to "collach" for four years and taking "sycology" I learnt what a "double-blind" experiment was
and I think it may apply here. 

For those who are unfamiliar with the term-and there is no practical reason for knowing it- it is when a person is told to do a "task" for a certain reason --EXCEPT only the moderator knows the true meaning of what is being looked for -as the person does the task.  A double blind means that the moderator is PART of the experiment and DOESN'T know it!  The final result includes ALL their efforts--much to the surprise of the moderator and student as to what they all were really being observed doing.

Sooo--Jesus spoke to the masses in parables, many of whom walked away thinking they knew what Jesus meant, ie: the "sower and the seed" was "obviously" about farming and where to avoid throwing your seed if you want a good return on your crop!  The rest walked away not understanding even that!

Jesus explained the meaning of the parables to the disciples who then were the ONLY listeners who understood Jesus's point of the parables. 

Now there are the Bible "scholars" that study the Bible all of their lives and pass on the knowledge and meaning to the next generation, who get all the facts straight after a life-time of learning---

THEN  along comes Ray and the "EXPOSING---"  WEB-SITE and turns all of what we grew up KNOWING TO BE THE WORD OF GOD--on "it's head" ---with even a new vocabulary ie:eons/ionians etc. and new Bible verses to explain about EVERYTHING in a new and different way! MOST ANNOYINGLY, it ALL makes sense--after weeks of serious study!

Therefore, I guess the ELECT are the ONLY ones who REALLY understand that a majority of the BIBLE
is just another parable that "the masses believe they get!" and really don't. 

So, we TRY to explain the various differing doctrines to them, and it is just like explaining to the first
parable hearer that Jesus wasn't REALLY talking about seed placement and they argue to you that EVERYTHING Jesus said about seeds landing on dry ground, thorny ground and furtile ground was AGRICULTURALLY accurate--so being a "city kid" YOU/WE just wouldn't understand!! 

So WE ought to study the parable further, and don't question it, and WE will see that Jesus knew what he was talking about when and if we ever plant seed!  God looks at all of us and "just shakes His head"?

Nice piece of study Duane.

george .