From: RFaussette@aol.com
Date: Thu Aug 14 2003 - 14:17:33 EDT
In a message dated 8/14/03 10:29:54 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
gmurphy@raex.com writes:
> Without sin, physical death would be just the stopping of biological
> machinery and might
> be understood as a stage in the journey toward final union with God (as
> Athanasius seems
> to have understood). But sin casts a different light on death, so that
> death becomes
> something to be feared and makes life seem incomplete and futile.
>
>
Now I don't remember the details but I think Aquili (before his death)
measured the brain waves of mystics. If there is no awareness of death, then the
brain waves should not reflect anxiety (fear of death) and I think this what is
behind the ability of mystics to endure pain, self immolation, etc. They don't
have the fear of the self dying because they've obliterated the physical self
through mental self dicipline. They've conquered the possiblity of death as
far as affecting their behavior.
“This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take
it up again. No one takes it from me but I lay it down on my own. I have
power to lay it down and power to take it up again. This command I have received
from my Father (John 10:17).”
Of course, John is the more mystical/ gnostic of the gospels.
rich
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