The sacred embrace of Mary
The Gospel of Mary Magdalene presents a radical interpretation of Jesus' teachings as a path to inner spiritual knowledge. Both the content and the message lead inward toward the identity, power, and freedom of the true Self. The soul is set free from the powers of matter and the fear of death. For example, The Savior said, all nature, all formations, all creatures exist in and with one another, and they will be resolved again into their own roots (Mary 4:22, Pages 1 to 6 of the original manuscript containing chapters 1 - 3 are lost. The extant text of this gospel starts on page 7, chapter 4). Such a metaphysical message is all too familiar in the ancient Hindu scriptures of Upanishads and the Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy. Mary’s teachings reject the most fundamental concept of Christian beliefs (e.g. John 3:16) that Jesus paid for the sins of others, and whosoever believe in him as a savior will find everlasting peace. The gospel of Mary also rejects that there is such a thing as sin! For example, Then Peter said to him, you have been explaining every topic to us; tell us one other thing. What is the sin of the world? The Savior replied, there is no such thing as sin (Mary 4:25). Another distinctive feature of the gospel Mary is that God is not referred to as the Father, and this gospel does not say that Jesus is the son of God. The parables of Jesus that is the only form of Jesus’ teachings found in synoptic gospels are not found in this gospel.
When the Christian church leaders decreed that the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are to be canonized to form the New Testament, at the council of Nicaea in 325 A.D., they also believed that no rival gospels must exist that contradict the canons. Therefore, the gnostic gospels such as the gospels of Mary Magdalene, Thomas, Philip, and others were destroyed.
This book is written to re-emphasize the teachings of Mary who was the closest female follower of Jesus. She was present at the Jesus’ crucifixion, she was there at the burial, and she was there alone at the empty tomb, and the first to witness the resurrection. In fact, she was assigned to carry out the mission of the ministry of Jesus Christ. I recommend the original work of Harvard University Professor Karen King “The Gospel of Mary of Magdala: Jesus and the first woman apostle” for a deeper discussion.
Monday, July 13, 2020
Sunday, July 12, 2020
Book Reviewed: Every Tub Must Sit on Its Own Bottom: The Philosophy and Politics of Zora Neale Hurston by Deborah G. Plant
The heart and mind of Zora Neale Hurston
Zora Neal Hurston was a part of Harlem renaissance, an intellectual, social, and artistic explosion centered in Harlem during the roaring 1920s. She was also an anthropologist, folklorist, and a playwright. She is well known for her pivotal novel “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” which is about a Southern love story told by a woman who refuses to live in sorrow, bitterness, fear, or foolish romantic dreams. It is the story of a black woman, fiercely independent and her evolving selfhood through failed marriages and a life marked by poverty, trials, and purpose. Another book Hurston is known for is Barracoon: The Story of the Last “Black Cargo,” about the life of a man named Oluale Kossola, who was transported from West Africa to slavery in Alabama in 1860. Her work is a testament to Zora’s singular vision amid so many competing pressures to love blackness at a time that determined to hate it.
In this book, Professor Deborah Plant of the University of South Florida examines Hurston's philosophy and politics considering black women's resistance to domination and struggle for empowerment. Hurston reflected on her innermost thoughts as the only place in which she could escape societal limitations and freely express herself. She found affirmation, a place to heal, restore and recover. She constructed alternative images of herself to stand in opposition to the controlling, stereotypical images of women, built on objectification and subjugation. Hurston deeply believed that the black culture is a vital component in their full political emancipation, individually and collectively. She discovered new (literary) frontiers; she searched for lost cities; she navigated boats; and she climbed mountains. Like the men of her day, she smoked in public, wore pants, spoke her mind, and loved setting her hat at a rakish angle. Her belligerence, tendency to stand and do battle for what is right stands out conspicuously in her life. Zora Neale Hurston leaves us several empowering legacies. Her life expresses the transformative and revolutionary possibilities of an androgynous spirit. Zora was a Republican, a feminist, and believed in the work of Booker T. Washington on black education and self-emancipation.
The author could have revised the order of chapters that made it easy for readers to connect with Zora Hurston better. The writing is in metaphysical style and the reading would be bumpy. I recommend this book to readers interested in the life of Zora Neale Hurston and black American history.
Zora Neal Hurston was a part of Harlem renaissance, an intellectual, social, and artistic explosion centered in Harlem during the roaring 1920s. She was also an anthropologist, folklorist, and a playwright. She is well known for her pivotal novel “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” which is about a Southern love story told by a woman who refuses to live in sorrow, bitterness, fear, or foolish romantic dreams. It is the story of a black woman, fiercely independent and her evolving selfhood through failed marriages and a life marked by poverty, trials, and purpose. Another book Hurston is known for is Barracoon: The Story of the Last “Black Cargo,” about the life of a man named Oluale Kossola, who was transported from West Africa to slavery in Alabama in 1860. Her work is a testament to Zora’s singular vision amid so many competing pressures to love blackness at a time that determined to hate it.
In this book, Professor Deborah Plant of the University of South Florida examines Hurston's philosophy and politics considering black women's resistance to domination and struggle for empowerment. Hurston reflected on her innermost thoughts as the only place in which she could escape societal limitations and freely express herself. She found affirmation, a place to heal, restore and recover. She constructed alternative images of herself to stand in opposition to the controlling, stereotypical images of women, built on objectification and subjugation. Hurston deeply believed that the black culture is a vital component in their full political emancipation, individually and collectively. She discovered new (literary) frontiers; she searched for lost cities; she navigated boats; and she climbed mountains. Like the men of her day, she smoked in public, wore pants, spoke her mind, and loved setting her hat at a rakish angle. Her belligerence, tendency to stand and do battle for what is right stands out conspicuously in her life. Zora Neale Hurston leaves us several empowering legacies. Her life expresses the transformative and revolutionary possibilities of an androgynous spirit. Zora was a Republican, a feminist, and believed in the work of Booker T. Washington on black education and self-emancipation.
The author could have revised the order of chapters that made it easy for readers to connect with Zora Hurston better. The writing is in metaphysical style and the reading would be bumpy. I recommend this book to readers interested in the life of Zora Neale Hurston and black American history.
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