(54) JESUS-GNOSIS , AGAPE-LOVE AND PSYCHIATRY
JESUS WAS NOT COMMON "HEADSHRINKER". New scientific self- knowledge of "defence mechanism" etc. is valuable. But Jesus looked for the solutions of problems through deeper SELF-KNOWLEDGE (Gospel of Thomas 3.9) " being aware that we are children of the living Father(-Mother), He knew the " DIVINE GNOSIS", "secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven" (Matt 13.11) He expressed knowledge about our past sins and authority to heal by forgiving sins (Matt 9) and through "VICARIOUS suffering" (Isaiah 53) founded on divine AGAPE - LOVE
MODERNS SHRINKS speak with scientific words about the value of human psychic self-knowledge and they order medicines which give temporary relaxation when e.g. "tobacco-devils" grow in us. Humorists say that more people die by the medicines of doctors than by sicknesses and that patients will be healthier if all the medicines are thrown in the oceans (and poison-kill fishes ) Tobacco-"devils" kill billions of people but scientists give pills and psychoactive pain-relieving drugs before our death. Even "shrinks" may themselves be slaves of many stimulants as tobacco, alcohol, narcotic. Psychiatric doctors as FREUD and JUNG did smoke themselves into premature death while giving psychiatric knowledge.
JUNG did in his book "Seven sermons to the dead" even appreciate a GNOSTIC teaching that we are innermost an absolute being, " PLEROMA, who emanates itself as a temporary duality, " God and Satan" These two temporary manifestations of our innermost nature are opposites in order to help our human Psyche to know the" fruits of good and evil " and reach a perfect nature and " be as Gods". In our temporary battle between these two manifestations is inevitable suffering but the end is manifested perfection and the two are finally reabsorbed in our absolute uncreated nature.
GOD and SATAN are then as to hands of our inner angle-nature. The one gives to you a beautiful lily. The other one has a sword as the angel who hindered Baalam (Number 22 23) . It looks devilish. An Arabic story mentions "devils" who give a small suffering to hinder us to meet a bigger suffering. The sword which hinders Baalam does save him. Satan looks bad but helps as a surgeon with a scalpel
JESUS WAS TEMPTED by "the devil" (a parable for the Satan-side of our inner nature. The literal meaning of "Satan" is (the necessary) opponent, resister) .The temptation was in the desert (often a parable for the common human mind?)
JESUS DID FAST there "40 days and nights". (Matt 4.2) He and John the Baptist may have been in contact with the Essene-sect which was ascetic, vegetarians, not killing. John did eat wild honey and fruits from the locust's-tree. The Apostles meeting was against some meat and blood. Jesus gave food to "5000 … ", bread and "opsom" (often translated fish. Fruit is more often the meaning.) Was it physical food? "Fish" is symbolic word for spiritual helpers. Jesus and his followers are "fishes"
JESUS IS EXORCIST, according to the Bible, "with power and authority to drive out " demons" and to cure diseases" (Luke 9,1)
Religions try to liberate us from inner problems for which common parables are "devils" and demons. Luther was one of many who have suffered in a psychotic way by states of anxiety. Night after night he called for his confessor. In Wartburg he did try to throw an ink-pot on " a devil", but in vain. In all times have religious people believed that sicknesses and problems can come through invisible spirits. Mental diseases and temptations and catastrophes are analysed as often coming from " devils". Some believe that e.g. kleptomania and homosexuality are from devils Some do add philosophical explanation as that causes for suffering may be in past sins, even past incarnations. Was then John the Baptist killed because he had killed in a former incarnation when he was the prophet Elijah (Matt 11 14) A following explanation is then that we get health and freedom from suffering by righteous living: Contemplate: ISAIAH 58 6;"to loose the bounds of wickedness, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke, to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house, where you see the naked, to cover him. Then shall your right break forth like the dawn and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you. The glory of the Lord shall be our rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer: you shall cry, and he will say "Here I am. This idea that we are sick and suffering or healthy and free from problems because of a divine justice is found in all religions. "Karma" is an oriental name for it. The exorcist tries to free us from suffering by asking us to live according to the laws of God and open our souls and receive more of the endless grace from our divine nature. A fundamental problem is that we do not understand enough of the divine nature. Jesus and all prophets say: " Know yourself" When there is no prophetic gnosis and vision people go astrayCHRISTIAN CHURCHES do keep exorcising, invoking a healing aspect of our inner nature, the Archangel Raphael, at sacramental services and pray. The prayers are often beautiful but childish petitions that the perfect God shall change
THE FUTURE will be more of THE ETERNAL JESUS-GNOSIS and the sacramental AGAPE- LOVE enlightening new stages of scientific psychiatry .