What is sin?

Sin is nothing but the failure to recognize human wretchedness. - Simone Weil

A revelation, an understanding of sin and evil liberates us from sin and evil.

A denial of the existence of sin and evil, make us one day fall into it and be enslaved.

Swedenborg shines a tremendous light on this. i shall write of it another time.

I believe it is one of the revolutionary changes

The recognition of human wretchedness is difficult for whoever is rich and powerful because he is almost invincibly led to believe that he is something. 

It is equally difficult for the man in miserable circumstances because he is almost invincibly led to believe that the rich and powerful man is something.

I must say that there's  a precious paragraph of Swedenborg somewhere where he says that in fact, it is not the human being that is evil, but that he is continuously seduced by the evil spirits, up to the moment when he wants to shun the evil, and then with Jesus help it is possible.

I think this difference is very important.

Suffering

The chief use of suffering is to teach me that i am nothing - Simone Weil

This is at least the useful effect of suffering.
I don't agree with somethings that Simone says, because i believe that we are the ones who create the big suffering in the world. i don't believe this just like that: I have experienced deep suffering and I have learned and lived this !!!!
God can not do something about it because it all belongs to the results of our choices.

I don't believe that it is God that sends me the suffering, or that all that happens is according to God.

I think to believe that is one of the great mistakes of religion. It is in this way that people then didn't change what needed to be changed, and what could be changed.

I need to develop this....

It constitutes one of the central parts of my view.

Recurring Patterns, Repeating Themes: Transformational chant

Recurring Patterns, Repeating Themes: Transformational chant:

"I release the old me, regret-free, endlessly. I welcome in the new me, joyfully, excitedly. I release the old me, I release the old me, I ..."

When religion becomes a big business

http://www.freedomchurchnetwork.com/profiles/blog/show?id=3632674%3ABlogPost%3A323
www.freedomchurchnetwork.com/profiles/blog/show?id=3632674%3ABlogPost%3A323

In the book of Revelation, John warns believers of a coming threat to Christianity, which He describes as

"MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH." -Revelation 17:5

He describes her as "The woman whom you saw is the great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth." But what exactly is he warning us of? Rather than looking into church history to parse the institutions, places, and people who may fit this description. Perhaps it is of greater use to reflect on the threat to every church and every Christian regardless of place or time. I was just reading Ed Bahler's blog, and I think he summarized the actual threat that John was speaking of the best in, A Question That Could Change You:

Here’s a question that will, or at least should, penetrate deeply into our hearts:
A number of years ago, Dr. David Ryser had the privilege of teaching at a school of ministry. His students were hungry for God, and he constantly searched for ways to challenge them. One day he shared a short history of Christianity that goes like this:

Christianity started in Palestine as a fellowship; it moved to Greece and became a philosophy; it moved to Italy and became an institution; it moved to Europe and became a culture; it came to America and became an enterprise.
He wanted his students to appreciate the importance of the last line, so he clarified it by adding, “An enterprise. That’s a business.”
After a few moments Martha, the youngest student in the class, asked a simple question, “A business? But isn’t it supposed to be a body?” “Yes,” Dr. Ryser assured her. She continued,
“But when a body becomes a business, isn’t that a prostitute?”
The room went dead silent. For several seconds no one moved or spoke. They were stunned, afraid to make a sound because the presence of God had flooded into the room, and they knew they were on holy ground. God had taken over the class.

Twenty-First Century Stoic - How I Became a Stoic

Twenty-First Century Stoic -- From Zen to Zeno: How I Became a Stoic - Boing Boing

Realizing the Futility of Visualizing Things? Try the Negative Visualization of the Stoics. � Nonduality Blog

This is a very good article i want to read when i have time.

I am sure it relates to what has been my experience.

Walking the spiritual path with the stoics.

Stranger in a Strange Land Part III

I don't get tired of listening to this guy and what they are doing.

Talvez particularmente significativo porque o trabalho de Swedenborg que é tão importante, ficou aprisionado por pessoas que não tinham qualquer noção de como funciona o ego de intelectuais, "escribas e farizeus....".

A primeira coisa que me aconteceu quando visitei a Biblioteca extraordinária de Swedenborg em Haia, sendo eu a única interessada (!), foi responderem-me, quando lhes perguntei sobre como isso era possível, que nos tempos de hoje em dia, não havia qualquer interesse por isto....
!!!!!!!!!!

Imagine-se, com a fome espiritual que há!