THE TWO TREES TM Peter Brohier
An alternative approach to understanding Christianity
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THE TWO TREES
A DISCUSSION PAPER BY PETER BROHIER
It is said in the Bible that there were two significant trees in Eden - whether
a fictitious or real place.
One tree was the "tree of knowledge of good and evil".
The Bible contains rules that, if contravened, lead to and identify identify
sin.
If we contravene the biblical laws, as we see them as applicable today, we
endure the consequences. The Lord's Prayer allows us to seek forgiveness for
such sins.
The success of the biblical laws should not be minimised. They appear to
establish a successful framework by which one nation has been able to continue
relatively intact for many hundreds of years.
The other major tree in Eden was the "tree of life".
God gave Christ to the earth, Christ gave his works and life and we are asked
"to drink his blood and eat his flesh", in other words follow, his message of
goodness or charity toward God and humanity.As Christ journeyed with God while
on earth so should we.
Unfortunately, many of us lead a more self-focused life. Our economy and society
encourage it. We therefore tend to see Christ as an identity or an image that
through his sinless life, and then death, he saves us and through him we obtain
eternal life, and and while we wait for such a life other on-going earthly
benefits come our way while we pursue that mainly self-focused life.
Perhaps we should make a distinction between his image and his message.
Perhaps it is by following his outward focused message, that we see the hand of
God in that journey. It is this charitable life that gives us confidence and
hope and faith in Him, and in his message. This is the "word" or message of
Christ that realy saves us.
For example there are two ways we can view the miracles that Christ performed.
We see them as a kind of magic that Christ or God may also may perform for us,
if say, we are also ill. Alternatively, perhaps the real message of the miracles
was a demonstration of Christ's outwardly focused life. This is a focus that we
could follow instead of seeking similar benefits.
If we look at the Bible in this light we may be able to see a substantially
different message, rather than creating a type of "golden calf" out of Christ
that can result in faith with self centered benefits, plus ultimately, eternal
life. The concept that I have described seems to be a reflection of the
"tree of life". This life is demonstrated in stories of the outward focussed
lives of many of the biblical characters, both old and new testament.
Perhaps the message of Christ that was the reason for his being. As we adopt his
outward focus, the hand of God is shown on that journey for humanity and the
miracles of God are seen by us in our lives for the cause we pursue.
As the journey gets harder, faith in God becomes more paramount. These are
miracles that may start at the start of a journey seeking God but become more
evident as the outward focus takes over away from a mainly, self focused life.
Many main stories of biblical characters relate to high level religion and
politics. In political lobbying focusing on achievement of public benefits, many
of the elements of the biblical stories have come true in my life.
I would suspect that these elements may be true in whole of life, outward
focused lives, of any kind.
In the end it is this outward focused life, based on the message of Christ, that
seems to deliver a far richer life than a self focused one.
The Queen of England said the following in her 2008 Chistmas address-
“Over the years, those who have seemed to me to be the most happy, contented and
fulfilled have always been the people who have lived the most outgoing and
unselfish lives; the kind of people who are generous with their talents or their
time. There are those who use their prosperity or good fortune for the benefit
of others whether they number among the great philanthropists or are people who,
with whatever they have, simply have a desire to help those less fortunate than
themselves.
What they offer comes in the form of what can easily be recognised as service to
the nation or service to the wider community. As often as not however, their
unselfishness is a simply-taken-for-granted part of the life of their family or
neighbourhood.
They tend to have some sense that life itself is full of blessings, and is a
precious gift for which we should be thankful. When life seems hard, the
courageous do not lie down and accept defeat; instead, they are all the more
determined to struggle for a better future.
I think we have a huge amount to learn from individuals such as these. And what
I believe many of us share with them is a source of strength and peace of mind
in our families and friends”.
This is quite a different concept to a person seeking to obtain salvation
through the actual performance of more good works or sinning less.
Many of the Biblical characters were far from perfect. It is the faith that is
built on the outward focussed journey that becomes "salvation" .
Theology is sometimes advanced by grafting the message of the two trees.
The "two trees" remain two separate trees in the Bible. Many Biblical characters
committed sin,classified by the tree of the "knowledge of good and evil" but
still experienced a life based on an understanding of the "tree of life".
If we approach the contents of the Bible with the above focus, the whole Bible
seems to make sense.
Perhaps the very basis our Christianity has been moved from "message" to "image"
to offer easy options for many followers. This has not been a bad thing as it
has sustained a body of believers.
It has allowed the Bible to be passed down to future generations.
But, unfortunately this approach has not
advanced the option of a real understanding of the significance of "the "tree of
life".
It seems that many climb the Maslow Pyramid without reaching the top and waste
most of their lives seeking the trappings of success without ever reaching the
top.
They aim to continue their journey up the pyramid and end up in a mansion in
heaven with a god they hardly knew.
14 And
the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory
as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
King James Version (KJV)
Salvation is in the message of the Christ that ended on the cross, not just the
cross itself.
Copyright 2012- 2015 P N Brohier all rights reserved
ABOUT PETER BROHIER
Prime Ministers, Keating, Howard and
the Rudd Government have responded to Peter Brohier’s vision, influence or
lobbying for low cost access by sea to and from Tasmania.
Uncapped federal funding for Bass
Strait has dramatically improved the economy of Tasmania and offered greater
transport equity for people and vehicles.
Peter was awarded a major AHA
Tasmania award for outstanding services to tourism and for bringing the nation a
National Sea Highway. Peter graduated in law from Monash and won the CPA award
for top accounting student from RMIT.
Peter,
you can, and should - take personal credit for the improvements in Bass Strait
fare equality. The campaign you and the National Sea Highway Committee have
waged over many years has succeeded in delivering better fares for Tasmanians.
Peter, I thank you for your
hard work on behalf of this State. All Tasmanians must salute you for your
achievements. Bob Cheek, MHA, a
Former Liberal Leader of the Opposition Tasmania.
Mr
Brohier has been a very strong advocate for a better deal for people on Bass
Strait. I think he has done a terrific job over the last few years.
Through his efforts he is probably more responsible than anybody else for the
introduction of the vehicle subsidy, I would think. Paul
Lennon, former Premier of Tasmania, Hansard 12 April 2002
"Senator
Barnett, I and a few others met with the restaurant and catering representatives
of the Australian Hotels Association-tourism and hospitality being a growth area
in our home state because of the Bass Strait Passenger Vehicle Equalisation
Scheme initiated by the Howard Government". Senator
Abetz, Hansard 6th December 2004
Senator
Colbeck said the scheme, combined with the Spirit of Tasmania ferries, was the
next best thing to a highway link with the rest of Australia. He
said the figures confirmed that without the decision to introduce the scheme,
the ferries would not be the success they have been. The Mercury, 13th July
2004
Van Diemen's Reborn Land “Tourism is soaring, the economy is growing (the forecast is 3.5% next year), unemployment is falling and Tasmanians are no longer leaving home. Introduction of two daily ferry services from Melbourne in 2002, have fed the rush" The Economist, 17th January 2004
“Many new ideas are dismissed, considered too costly, or may just never happen. The status quo is usually maintained and defended. However, the cost of not implementing some new ideas can be very great. This cost is often never measured. Some ideas however transcend accepted policy and can be implemented. The idea for a “National Sea Highway" was just one of those – some others appear in this brochure.” Peter Brohier 2009
“My experience as a legal practitioner, designer,
manufacturer and retailer, continues to be valuable. More
valuable is my experience a parliamentary lobbyist. Many
of the world’s great and timeless stories are about the “pursuit of purpose”. I
believe that these stories contain the secret to an extraordinary life. Taking
ideas that can change a nation from nowhere to the highest level in the politics
is very hard. Key elements of such stories are still just as highly and
personally relevant today as on the very day they were written.” Peter
Brohier 2009
Authorised
and printed by Peter Brohier