How is the Creation story a metaphor for man’s internal struggle?

The Creation story, with the serpent tempting Eve and Eve tempting Adam to eat from the Tree of Knowledge, is interpreted metaphorically as representing the internal conflicts within a man. The “serpent” or “penis” symbolizes man’s wants, while “Eve” or the “heart” represents his feelings. When these wants and feelings conspire, his “head” or “thoughts” (Adam) can lead him into trouble with his “conscience” (GOD/breastplate). In psychological terms, the prostate gland is seen as the ego, enabling the “serpent” to act. This internal dynamic highlights the potential for a man’s desires and emotions to lead to moral mistakes and suffering if not guided by a finely honed conscience.

What is the significance of the penis and clitoris in understanding oneself?

The penis and clitoris are viewed as having enormous internal power and influence over a person’s understanding of reality. They are seen as tools that can “pierce our two worlds with powerful desires that are irrational and often subconscious.” These organs are the source of personal choices for which individuals will be judged. Learning to understand and integrate one’s sexual desires with one’s conscience is crucial for making moral choices and avoiding actions one might later regret. Avoiding or being disgusted by one’s sexuality, whether gay or straight, is seen as a form of self-denial that hinders spiritual growth. Incorporating one’s sexuality into one’s self-understanding and even prayer is presented as essential for becoming a whole person in the eyes of God.

How are the Abrahamic faiths viewed in relation to individual spiritual growth?

The Abrahamic faiths – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam – are seen as different paths leading in the same direction, like people climbing a mountain from various starting points. They offer different perspectives but ultimately guide individuals toward God’s designs. The source suggests that individuals are the messengers they are awaiting and that they can use all three Abrahamic paths to find their unique way to God. While each faith is considered “right” in its core, many interpretations of their scriptures are seen as wrong, particularly those that lead to hate and judgment of others based on differences like sexual orientation or faith. True devotion to God is seen as requiring devotion to all of humanity.

What is the concept of “knowing” in the biblical sense?

“To know” in the biblical sense, as translated from the Hebrew word “LADA-AT,” means “to know” in the sexual sense of penetrating a person, implying deep intimacy and knowledge of the other. When applied to knowing oneself in the biblical sense, it doesn’t literally produce a child but figuratively produces an “inner child.” This self-knowledge, which begins with the physical level of intimacy (like masturbation), is seen as the first step on a long road of emotional and spiritual awakening to oneself, leading to an awareness of one’s desire for intimacy with oneself.

How is the idea of “lust” understood beyond just sexual desire?

Lust is presented as a sensation that can extend beyond the sexual realm, encompassing cravings, longings, and yearnings for things like money, power, prestige, food, drugs, or even infamy. It is described as a combination of external wants, mixed feelings, and unexamined thoughts that, when acted upon without belief in oneself, can lead to negative consequences. Lust, particularly sexual lust without love, can begin with excitement and autonomy but potentially lead to destruction, dismay, authoritarianism, and a curtailment of freedom, liberty, and emancipation. However, love without “lust” (or passion/discipline) can also be destructive, leading to laziness and a sense of entitlement. The sources suggest that love and lust must come together constructively.

What is the role of the conscience and soul in spiritual development?

The conscience is presented as a crucial internal scale where one weighs thoughts and feelings to make moral decisions. It is the “godly, moral part of himself figuratively located at his breastplate.” A conscience awakened to God is called a “soul.” Developing finely honed thoughts and feelings is necessary to use the conscience effectively. The conscience is seen as slowly combining thoughts, feelings, and beliefs to reveal one’s deepest desires, enabling the weighing of inner action before acting in the external world. Improving one’s relationship with oneself is said to lead to the conscience growing into a soul and seeing how God assists in this spiritual process.

How are the fig and the olive used as metaphors for the human condition?

The fig and the olive are used as botanical metaphors to describe the duality within man. The ripe fig, filled with seeds and sweetness, is likened to a man’s right testicle, symbolizing the goodness within him that gives life. The olive, which cannot be eaten raw and must be cured in salty tears, is likened to a man’s left testicle, representing the potential for evil within him. Just as wisdom is like a cured olive, knowledge of evil must be “soaked in salty tears” to produce wisdom. This duality of producing both “figs” (good) and “olives” (evil) from the same “tree” (man) is seen as a clue to how God made it possible for humans to participate in His designs from the inside out.

How does self-knowledge and self-love relate to one’s relationship with God and others?

Self-knowledge is presented as the supreme gift from God that Abrahamic believers unconsciously wish for, depending on awakening the desire to do good rather than evil. The more good one does, the more awakened one becomes. Learning to know, love, and believe in oneself is crucial for spiritual growth and for having meaningful relationships with others and with God. Loving oneself is seen as a prerequisite for loving others. Embracing all aspects of oneself, including one’s sexuality, is essential for self-devotion and for making peace with oneself. This internal work is depicted as a journey toward understanding God’s designs and becoming a better person.