04 Mar 1997
Re: Shape-shifter

Hello Trudy

>Is there *anything* in our collective imagination that is *not* reflected in the world of the spirit?

Yes, a lot of things are purely imaginary, fantasy and not reality, fiction rather than fact: Santa Claus. The Easter Bunny. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Paul Bunyan. Santa Claus with a flame-thrower...

>Seen any dragons? I've never much cared if there were leprechauns, but I've always wanted there to be dragons....

I suspect dragons are archeological in origin: that is, ancient people saw petrified bones that washed out of the ground, reassembled those bones in their minds, not knowing that some parts came from different critters, and formed the mental image of a dragon. Ever notice how much classic dragons' wings look like the wings of a pterodactyl? Some folks have said they see dragons, but I think it is shape-shifters pretending to be dragons.

As to shape-shifters, I prefer the verb to the noun. Shape-shifting is no big deal for a spirit: they just project an image of their appearance, that's all. That's how angels appear in a form recognizable to the person they visit: "You would recognize us best in robes." Do angels have wings? "We can have wings, if you need to see us that way, but we don't need wings to fly." Other spirits project other self-images, for other purposes. Some do it to deceive. Some project scary images because they like to frighten people.

>Why are some angels easier for us to see than others?

Some angels are more radiant than others. Some are bigger than others. Angels are easier to see when they focus their light on us, and when they come close to us. And they all have rheostats (smile).

>Do you read Greek?

Not really. I struggle with a word at a time.

>Any good reference books for us non-Greek-reading types that would assist us in dealing with these different bible translations?

Nestle-Marshall, Interlinear Greek-English New Testament (1958 translation; Zondervan reprint 1972)

Liddell and Scott, Greek-English Lexicon (Oxford University Press, 1972). This is not an expository lexicon (like Vines), which I detest because they weave the churchian dogmatic meanings back into the Greek words.

>Mark 1:12. What is the literal translation?

"And immediately the spirit him thrusts-forth (ekballei) into the desert." The primary uses of this verb are "to throw out, cast out, expel". Thus it does imply force or more specifically propulsion -- to send forth as an arrow. It isn't the verb (apostello) that means "to send forth as an ambassador". The Greek text does include the article ("the" spirit), so it obviously refers to the spirit that descended on Jesus like a dove at his baptism (Mark 1:11).

>How many of those people are writing you?

Quite a few people have written, but I'm not usually backlogged by more than a half-dozen replies.

I'm still considering whether and how to post our correspondence. The only drawback is, as you said, the length. Because it takes awhile to load, I may post it as a folder of separate pages with its own table of contents.

My mother-in-law is doing much better, more cheerful and more hopeful. The doctor prescribed Synthroid for her depression, and it is helping. She will come home from the hospital this next Saturday (8 March). Interesting: I did not find any discarnate interference with her. Each time I blessed her, she improved for the rest of that day, but reverted to depression next morning. Trying to talk her out of it did no good. So it looks like the source of her depression was bio-chemical. It is good to remember that there are several possible sources of such symptoms, and not overlook any of them.

How are you doing with the healing sessions at church?

It was good to see you in the spiritweb chatroom. Frank (FRAML) said he saw you there the other night, and told me the nickname you were using. I'll look for you.

Your friend,

Ben


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