A private talk between God and you.

As I discussed in my previous post, life itself is very simple, despite human pride in wishing to make it "complex." One can see that life has thrived on this planet for about 2 billion years, in harmony with the simple purpose of life: to live, thrive where possible, and bear, defend, nurture one's young until they are independent. While life during this time was not fully aware and "conscious" the beauty of the system of life ensured an almost neighborly order. Different species of animals found different niches in which to reside and to find food. So one did not have a species of animal decide one day to take over the habitat and food of another species. It remained to humankind to covet what another has and to harm them on a conscious, systematic scale. The Bible shows that at a certain time, when humans first were "human" God walked with them and spoke to them, for sheer love of their company. But in no time at all Adam and Eve sinned by seeking knowledge by eating the forbidden fruit. It is important to remember that there were two trees forbidden to Adam and Eve. One was the tree of knowledge, because from that knowledge came the mistaken idea that a human can use knowledge that belongs to God. It's not God being selfish, rather, God is trying to prevent the "terrible two" year old toddler from thinking they can get behind the wheel of a car and drive through the crowded city center. And, like my explanation above, it was then that humans got the idea to steal food and harm others for what they covet. It was there that they broke away from the innocence of animals who might fight over the same carcass to eat, but do not plot to overthrow another species. It is that kind of knowledge that God sought to instruct humans to avoid and not to seek. But remember there was a second tree, the tree of life. This is the tree that God placed fierce angelic guard over when Adam and Eve were expelled from the garden. This tree represents power over life and death, which ultimately belongs only to God. At that time God limited human's average life span to 120 years. The patriarchs who lived to extraordinary ages did so because they were in close communion with the spirit of God, who kept their bodies refreshed and slowed aging. These were an extraordinary few, and they diminished in number as sin grew and time lengthened from the time of the garden and direct contact with God.

So humans have two responsibilities to understand today. One is to learn from Adam and Eve that there is some knowledge that in the hands of God is merciful and wise, but in the hands of humans is inevitably abused and leads to sin. The lesson is "just because something is possible does not mean it should be done." You can think of dozens of examples of this. Just because it's possible to make an edgy film about sex with a child does not mean it should be done. Just because it's possible to get a gun and settle a score does not mean it should be done. Remember, the first murder was of a brother, Cain, killing a brother, Abel, over jealousy at the other brother's piety, yet Cain did not make the effort to be as pious himself. Just because there is knowledge that one can create a weapon and destroy another person because that person "makes you feel bad" does not mean that knowledge should be sought. So the first tree of knowledge represents "personal knowledge." It is the reservoir of infinite knowledge, the knowledge of good and evil acts and possibilities, and what one does with that knowledge. When a person dies and is judged, these decisions will all be laid bare in front of the person in the presence of God. Every decision and seeking of knowledge and of their use for good or evil will be there in the open and recalled in the presence of God. Things you don't remember will all be recalled then. And this won't be a coffee house chat, because during judgement, jokes and cartoons about it aside, there are no "explanations" or "spin." Why? Not because God is a censurer of free speech but because once one dies one lives in a physical plane where it is not possible to experience anything but the absolute truth. There is no relativism. There is no "why." There is only what there is. That is the form of the personal conversation between you and God.

Now here is where people need to understand and comprehend that many people are in grave danger of losing their souls at judgement, and the entire populace of the earth is in jeopardy. Remember, there is a fierce angel that guards the tree of eternal life. While the first tree represents personal knowledge of good or evil, the second tree represents collective efforts to seize eternal life from God. I do not mean just the physical body living forever, though that is part of it. Rather I mean the survival of the human species and the rest of life on earth is part of the power of this tree of God's. When you are judged by God it is your actions to try to obtain and operate on your own the part of God's will that ensures eternal life (ongoing life of the species on earth, and of the soul in eternity) that will be judged. And here is where you might think, oh, I'm a good guy or gal, I'm a liberal, I'm a conservative, I would never do that. But you do and here is how. If you yourself have an abortion, that is a tree of knowledge issue. It is between you and God about how to reconcile the sin of abortion. But if you promote abortion through words, preaching, finances, or law, you are attempting to offend against the tree of eternal life, because you are believing you know a "better way" than God. If you are gay and choose to have an active gay life, perhaps even a restrained one with one partner, that is one thing, because that is an individual tree of knowledge decision. But if you are promoting a gay lifestyle by trying to influence others to explore if they are gay (especially children) through literature, preaching and so forth, or if you are trying to change the laws of marriage so that they are not part of God's will of a man and woman creating a natural family, you are gravely offending by seeking the power of the tree of eternal life, because you jeopardize the stability of life on earth. These are two examples, the two hottest examples, but I could give others. It is vital that you understand the difference and heed God's will.

This is why there is no inconsistency between understanding that God loves everyone, including those who have had an abortion, and that reconciliation is possible for that individual, and the threat of denial of sacrament to those who are sponsoring and promoting abortion. The first is an example of a sin against God's will regarding the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and as the coming of Jesus Christ has shown, salvation, confession, and reconciliation for the individual is possible and the Good Shepherd constantly seeks that with those who have strayed. However, there is a fierce angel that guards God's will regarding the tree of eternal life. There is no "process" by which humans altering God's will for life overall is "OK." That is why there is a fierce angel who guards that tree then and now. There are dire consequences for all who act in defiance of God's will regarding eternal life. That is why the Catholic Church is doing people the biggest favor they will ever not appreciate by trying to make that distinction crystal clear. An individual act of abortion is part of an individual's reconciliation, or not, process with God. An individual act on behalf of collective abortion is an offense against God's will and plan for eternal life, and only a fierce angel with a flaming sword awaits.

The same is true for gay marriage and homosexual acts. There are many gay people who have lived, have had relationships in their life, and who have achieved heaven. This is because all is possible under God, as Jesus promised, and at the time of one's death and judgement, all is part of the personal conversation you have with God. But if a gay person leaves the management of their own individual life in order to promote their sexual agenda to the detriment of the existing order of natural family, just as in the example I give about abortion, now one has stepped away from individual reconciliation, or not, with God and challenged the angel who guards the tree of eternal life on God's behalf. Being gay is not a sin, and individual actions taken as being a gay person is part of an individual's reconciliation, or not, process with God. But an individual act on behalf of collective homosexualization of society is an offense against God's will and plan for eternal life, and only a fierce angel with a flaming sword awaits.

That is why Moses faithfully recorded in Genesis what happened in the garden of Eden as shown to him by God. It is not a fanciful analogy, it is literally accurate. People with a true analytical mind can appreciate the difference between the knowledge being guarded in the tree that Eve stole from, and the power that is guarded in the tree of eternal life that none are allowed to touch. Genesis 3:22-24 And he said, "indeed! the man has become like one of us knowing good and evil! [God is referring to eating from the first tree, and is being very ironic about man becoming "like one of us"] And now perhaps he will put forth his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever! [God is making clear that there is a second "tree" that is his will regarding living "forever," which Moses would have understood to mean the continuation of life.] Therefore the Lord God put him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. he drove out the man; and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the Cherabim, and the flaming sword, which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.

While I was walking in the countryside last year, a woman approached me and in the course of conversation, seeing my crucifix, told me, "My son is gay." I think I said something like, "Oh" or "That's nice" in a conversational tone. She then asked me if it was "wrong" and I could feel her wanting me to say that it's not wrong, like waves of "I'm not going to listen to anything but" emitting from her. So I answered the truth and said, "So long as he is not promoting being gay." That was not what she wanted to hear. She muttered the usual, "Well, it's not like he's going after school children," but I knew she knew what I meant. No one but God will judge the individual sexual or social acts that a person engages in, so there is no way that at a given point in a person's life I'm going to make a judgement, because the book of their life has not yet been completed. However, certain actions assail against the tree of God's will regarding eternal life, and no good will come of that. There are plenty of gay people who live their lives quietly and do not proselytize against the tree of eternal life, and they are like all the other sinners who make their way toward, or away from, the Lord. There are plenty of people who had an abortion (women and their partners) who live their lives quietly and do not proselytize against the tree of eternal life, and they are like all the other sinners who make their way toward, or away from, the Lord. But those who lead others to challenge God's will for the continuity of life will only find the flaming sword of the Cherabim.