The Ego By Another Name Is Still The Ego....

We've been talking about some of the teachings of Tolle on EU and on Sacred Cow Tippers.  I posted the following both places this morning...and decided to go ahead and post it here too.  (Third time is the charm...or is it three strikes and you're out? ) It just tickles me to no end that I am seeing the message in scripture so much clearer.  Probably most anyone who reads here already knows this stuff....but in case there are some other "johnny come lately's" like me, following are some on my thoughts about what I've been reading in Galatians......

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have been reading the NT...mainly the writings of Paul.  I have done this in part, while hoofing it on the treadmill at the gym.  I plan to go again today....

I don't get very far because I keep seeing these insights....into the ego....and our mimetic natures, which I think is just an aspect of the ego/painbody/carnal man/adamic man/the flesh...whatever you choose to call it.  We did a study about this a while back on Beautiful Heresy....a book by the "founding father" of this theory (Rene' Girard) called "I See Satan Fall Like Lightening"  I think it all comes down to the fact that we are living out of the wrong nature...and when we do, we end up as it says in Galatians 5 desiring what is contrary to the Spirit.  Solution"  "live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature." Okay....easier said than done sometimes!!!  And the result of living out of the flesh in succint terms (again, according to Galatians 5) 

19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

that is the NIV translation...the Message usually calls a spade a spade and lays things out in modern lingo.....

19It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; 20trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; 21the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on.

This list simply reeks of mimetic rivalry and the exploits of the egoic nature!! Eckhart says that in order for the ego to strengthen itself....in fact, in order for it to survive, it must individualize itself into a me and them sort of view.  There as to be an "other" and usually that "other" is turned into an enemy.  (the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival and ugly parodies of community????)

But the fruits of the Spirit???

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. NIV

Or as the Message puts it....

22But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard--things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, 23not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way. 24Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good--crucified

Again...it is all there in scripture.  It always WAS there in scripture....but I simply did not see it or understand it until I read Tolle and he put in terms that I understood.  Scripture has come alive for me.  This is so cool!!!!