Jesus said, "Congratulations to you when you are hated and persecuted; and no place will be found, wherever you have been persecuted." (68 Thomas)
One way of understanding Jesus is as a radical realist. He seeks to share with us his understanding of ultimate reality.
The fundamental reality of self is found in the nature of our relationship with God: subject and object.
The fundamental reality of space is also dependent on the relationship of ultimate subject and ultimate object.
Where this relationship is obscured - even oppressed - reality is absent, such a place does not have existence.
The parallel in Matthew's beatitudes reads, "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
We might also hear Jesus telling us that the kingdom of heaven is the only place that has existence. Any other place is an illusion.
Above is the Kapaleeswarar Temple in Mylapore - or Chennai - India. The original temple was destroyed by the Portugese to build a church commemorating the martyrdom of St. Thomas, perhaps on the temple grounds.
One way of understanding Jesus is as a radical realist. He seeks to share with us his understanding of ultimate reality.
The fundamental reality of self is found in the nature of our relationship with God: subject and object.
The fundamental reality of space is also dependent on the relationship of ultimate subject and ultimate object.
Where this relationship is obscured - even oppressed - reality is absent, such a place does not have existence.
The parallel in Matthew's beatitudes reads, "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
We might also hear Jesus telling us that the kingdom of heaven is the only place that has existence. Any other place is an illusion.
Above is the Kapaleeswarar Temple in Mylapore - or Chennai - India. The original temple was destroyed by the Portugese to build a church commemorating the martyrdom of St. Thomas, perhaps on the temple grounds.
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