Gospel of prosperity and wellness

‘The evolution of the original Christian faith to its present state can be traced out in five important stages, as I see it. The first was the ‘Jewish phase’. The second was the ‘Greek phase’, then came the ‘Roman phase’. Much later came the ‘Colonial phase’. The latest is the ‘Commercial phase’…. 

‘The Jewish ‘creation mythology’ speaks about the ‘original sin’ committed by the first human parents, Adam and Eve. They were driven out from the ‘Paradise’ by God for this unpardonable ‘original sin’….

‘The Jewish people of early history had also believed that God would not forgive them their sins unless they made sacrifices to Him. Their God had preferred the sacrifice of innocent lambs…. 

‘Some of the Jewish communities even used to tie heavy bundles on innocent lambs and send them out into the dessert or jungle to die there or be eaten up by wild animals. This they used to do every year. The heavy bundle tied on the lamb represented their sins for which the lamb was being sacrificed!….

‘Unsatisfied with these kinds of sacrifices, their just and severe God finally decided to send His own only begotten Son to be sacrificed as the ‘Lamb of God’ for the sins of the world….

‘It was from this background that John the Baptist saw Jesus of Nazareth as the ‘Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world’. A large number of Christians are yet to outgrow this primitive Jewish phase of their faith. Even now many Christian Churches continue to live in this ‘Jewish phase’ seeing Jesus of Nazareth as the ‘Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world’……

‘The second phase through which the Christian faith evolved was the ‘Greek phase’ wherein Jesus of Nazareth was seen as the ‘Christos’ and ‘Logos’. The Greek term ‘Christos’ means ‘the anointed one of God’. The English word ‘Christ’ has come from the Greek, ‘Christos’. ‘Logos’ implies the ‘Primordial Word’. It is similar to our concept of ‘Aadi Sadba’. Christianity received its philosophical foundations from the Greek thought. Without this Greek philosophical support Christianity could not have grown as a world religion….

‘But it was the ‘Roman phase’ that saw the emergence of Christianity as a powerful world religion. This began when emperor Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the Roman empire. The titles of Jesus of Nazareth as the ‘King of kings’, ‘Prince of peace’, the ‘Lord’, ‘Saviour’ etc. came from this ‘Roman phase’. Wealth and power became central to the Church, and the Church also became the most powerful political force in Europe during this phase. Kings were anointed and appointed by the Pope..….

‘The ‘Roman phase’ contained within itself the seeds of the fourth phase, the ‘Colonial phase’. It was during this ‘Colonial phase’ that had begun from medieval Europe, that Jesus of Nazareth became the ‘only’ Son of God and Christianity became the ‘only’ true religion. The Bible also became the ‘only’ true Word of God during this phase…

‘Such exclusive claims were products of a colonial mindset which saw whatever the rulers said, did or believed as the ‘only truth’. All others were ‘pagans’. Their practices of prayer and worship were ‘pagan’ practices. Their religions were ‘pagan’ religions. It is unfortunate that this ‘Colonial phase’ of the Christian faith still holds its sway over many Christian missionaries all over the world even in this twenty first century….

‘But the latest phase of the Christian faith is the ‘Commercial phase’ wherein Jesus of Nazareth and his Gospel of light and love are made saleable commodities for wealth, wellness and comforts…

‘A ‘Gospel of prosperity and wellness’ is being preached during this latest phase of the Christian faith that had its origin in the United States of America. Preaching the Gospel is a multi-million dollar business there today….

Excerpts from Integral Revolution