Jim Palmer's Blog, page 20

The Christian church has preached a powerless gospel (and I was one of them)

“The Christian church has preached a powerless gospel that has led countless people into a religious maze that goes nowhere. They have handcuffed the masses to a false God. The Bible has been misinterpreted and misused by religious leaders who claim to have spiritual authority, giving this bankrupt system a false air of legitimacy and credibility. I’m not pointing the finger; I was one of them. I was sincere, but I was sincerely wrong.”

- Jim Palmer, Inner Anarchy

Did Jesus get a raw deal with the Christian religion?

Jesus got a raw deal in the Christian religion. The truth he bore witness to and demonstrated is much better than anything I learned in seminary, and is still one of the best kept secrets in our world. This was one of my motivations for writing Inner Anarchy.

*Just a quick update. The manuscript was submitted for publishing, and is currently under review. It’s possible that the book could be available this week. You can learn more about Inner Anarchy here.

Shedding the “Jesus” of religion

People have been trained to understand Jesus and his teachings within a faulty religious framework. Outside that framework, a very different picture emerges.

Maybe you are one of those who shed religion and then concluded that anything associated with Jesus is a load of crock. I get that. I feel the same way about the “Jesus” I got through religion. I hope you’ll be willing to read Inner Anarchy with an open mind and heart.

The personality cult of religion must go

We have to drop the personality cult we often find associated with religion. It’s a level playing field among equals. Each of us must have the confidence to turn toward the life, source and Spirit within us. Jesus himself discouraged people from establishing a personality cult around him, and told people to follow the Spirit within them. Part of the inner anarchy we need involves dismantling the mindset that glamorizes and romanticize spiritual leaders, teachers and authors. I put myself at the top of the list. I do not have any more of that life, source, and Spirit than you do. The only real value of anything I write is whether or not it turns you toward that Spirit inside you. Even my upcoming book Inner Anarchy was a community effort, and happened in conversation and connection with others. I had a reader group to dialogue with who offered input and feedback as the book was being written. The new spiritual vistas ahead of us will not be opened up by the paradigm of a few special gurus with a herd of followers, but each of us operating within the spiritual authority inside each of us, and coming together as equals.

What we need now is inner anarchy

“Jesus announced the inauguration of a new age—the likes of which we have never seen but have dreamed of. His words are compelling and fascinating. He implied that this age is hidden in the human heart and is now ready to be birthed into existence. Jesus said it would come in the midst of great turmoil and would be led not by religious preachers and Bible scholars, but by those who open up their minds, become like a child and trust what is deep inside their hearts.”

- Jim Palmer, Inner Anarchy: Dethroning God and Jesus to Save Ourselves and the World 

Why you won’t like my book

There are two groups of people who are likely to be bothered by my book: those who have fixed Christian beliefs about Jesus, and those who have written him off.

One step closer to Inner Anarchy

I wanted to give you a brief update on Inner Anarchy.

The cover design (front, back, spine) has been completed, as well as the interior formatting of the pages. Yana did an awesome job on these – her creative flare really gives the book a unique feel. I’m a creative/artistic person myself and so I especially appreciate this sort of thing. Like my chef friend tells me – food is art, part of the experience is the presentation. So, thanks Yana for your creative contribution!

Of course there are many other people who have contributed to this process: photographer Darla did an original photo shoot for the book, and Becca, Diana, Heather and Ron did the editing, copyediting, and proofing. Then there are the folks who helped by reading the draft manuscript and offering input, helped select the cover concept, and financially supported this independent publishing endeavor through the Friends of Jim Palmer GoFundMe campaign. Thank you! None of this would have happened without all these and other people contributing their time, skills, encouragement, and resources to the cause.

So, in the next couple days the files will be passed along and published into print and Kindle. I’ll keep you posted on the progress.

Let’s figure this shit out together!

Some of us who came through religion are accustomed to the institutional approach to getting something done, which typically includes a hierarchical structure of leadership, and some configuration of organizational structures, programs, staff, and facilities. The path I want to suggest as it relates to inner anarchy and birthing a new age is self-organization. Self-organization is a scenario where people spontaneously connect with one another in some purposeful manner, without the help of an external agency. Let me ask you, who was in charge during the 60′s? No one. Right? Essentially it was a leaderless movement. We’re going to have to develop these self-organization muscles because they may have atrophied from our involvement in organized religion. Here’s the deal. We’re gonna have to figure this out ourselves. While it’s true that we have everything we need inside to move forward into a new age, we need to figure out how to work this out together amongst ourselves. Take the guy below – it’s a little rough around the edges but you get the point.

We need a true and authentic togetherness

We going to have to create a real togetherness among us in order to see inner anarchy give birth to a new reality and world. It starts by turning toward what is real that is deep within us, and then lifting that up out of ourselves into the world. There is an awareness that opens up inside us and we experience it in the dimension of our deepest feelings. It so important that we speak out these deep feelings to each other in our own words. Jesus said we much become like children – it must be natural and elemental, and not all cluttered up with religious concepts and verbiage. We must give these deep feelings a public presence by speaking them out. We don’t need an organization with structures and a hierarchy of people in charge; we just need to self-organize in that true and authentic spirit of togetherness. Oh and by the way, don’t expect the world to lay out a red carpet and cheer you down this path. Expect people to tell you that you are crazy, deceived, on God’s judgment list, etc. If they did it to Jesus they will do it to you. That’s why we need that togetherness – to encourage and support one another.

Calling all hippies

There is an unreligious world within us. It’s likely buried beneath many layers of religious conditioning… but it’s there. When you open it up, it will likely at first feel a bit awkward. This is only because we have been trained into accepting that which is unnatural. That unreligious world inside you is actually what’s natural. We must learn to live in that world, which is going to involve re-learning about everything. Do you… do we… have the courage to do this? This is the kind of inner anarchy I’m talking about. And what if the salvation of our world depends on it? Are we humble enough to allow the unreligious folk – those that religion are fond of judging and condemning – show us a thing or two about this natural unreligious world within us? Ever wonder why Jesus preferred to hang out with the unreligious crowd?

If you are within hearing distance of my blogging voice, and you are someone who experienced the “60′s” in a truly meaningful, uplifting, and revolutionary way… please don’t go quietly into the night. Consider coming back onto the scene and help us finish the job this time around.