Hi Perry and thank you for your comment.
The occult (from the Latin word occultus "clandestine, hidden, secret") is "knowledge of the hidden". In common English usage, occult refers to "knowledge of the paranormal", as opposed to "knowledge of the measurable", usually referred to as science.
Would you say Jesus had access to hidden knowledge? To be honest with you, I would trust a person who practices Yoga, classified as occult by many, more than I trust most people who claim to be Christian. I am not into Yoga, I haven't had much opportunity yet but I like what I have learned so far about it. To me, they sound way more like Jesus then your modern day Christian. Jesus said, "you are Gods" and he also said, "you are children of God." He said we could do all the things he did and that has to includes forgiving sins if healing really is possible as he said. That means we are one with God in my book. Did he not say, let them become one as we are one?
As far as the Bible goes, who put those 66 books together? The Roman Catholic Church. Many books were cast out like the book of Enoch and many others. You might as well be a Catholic if you claim the Bible to be 100% accurate. I have seen hideous Bible changes in my own life time. Can you imagine what must have happened in the first century?
Jesus did not say God would use a book to communicate with us. He didn't say build churches and Kingdom Halls. According to Jesus, God speaks though holy spirit, he does not need a man written book. (1 John 2:27) People who are disconnected (third eye blind) need something tangible they can hold and see and use to judge others with. The book of LAW. He did not say he would use men to teach us. He said I am your only teacher, have no leader but me. He said he would send Holy Spirit. He also called the God of the Jews a man slayer and father of lies. When he quoted scripture he would say things like, "Is in not written in YOUR law." So if it was his WORD, he didn't claim it!
I believe we can learn much from the Bible but I do no believe it is Gods holy unadulterated word like I was taught growing up. Man has used it to control people. Religion has used it to rule over people. Jesus did his best to free us from the scribes and pharisees.
Who would you trust more, a person who claims he can do whatever the hell he wants, then repent in the blood of Jesus or a person who believes he is accountable for his own actions? The law of Karma taught by Yoga makes more logical since to me then the book of law that says as you quoted, ""if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."
For that to be true, the word "confess" must mean more than simply giving lip service to Jesus. You must act like Jesus and Jesus was all about NOT judging others, he was all about unconditional love. He even prayed for and forgave those who killed him.
I could go on and on about this subject but I will cool my jets... Peace :)
"Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn't really know very much." 1 Corinthians 8:2 NLT
I do have faith in Jesus but not the Jesus taught by religion today.
One last thought... Personally I believe from my experience. A Jehovah Witness would be shunned way more and possibly disfellowshipped for joining a Yoga class because it is considered "occult" yet its OK to go to Disneyland. How ridiculous is that? They might actually get healed if they join Yoga. We don't want that now do we.
