THE ATEMPORAL ALMANAC

What you are about to read is my own particular view and experience of life. It is neither a scientific, theological or philosophical thesis. It might sound silly, maybe shocking. Either way, this discussion does not intent to convince anyone to agree with it. The only outcome hoped for from the audience reading is, reflection and maybe analysis or constructive criticism of the content. You may or may not identify yourself with the context and may or may not, gather some insights from it. Any response is a positive response, if only laughter.

THE ATEMPORAL ALMANAC

Information is arguably the most powerful weapon or tool that human beings have in life. It can be a source for gaining enlightenment or it can hide the truth thus providing or not providing opportunities and possibilities for decision making. We are continuously surrounded by information. It is hard to keep up with all the data that bombards us, living in such a globalised world. Without information, decisions might be made on dangerous grounds, possibly driving us towards avoidable mistakes or even into blind alleys. Although there is so much information out there, part of it is still inaccessible. Maybe this is because there is a cost to pay or because it has been held by specific organisations be they private or public. Accepting information is a choice, via acknowledgment, reflection and your own viewpoints; if you choose not to accept, it is simply ignored.

Information comes via many distribution channels including magazines, newspapers, the internet, television and social media. One of the most common communication vehicles is a casual or formal conversation between friends, co-workers, teachers, mentors, parents, even strangers. We have always had access to information somehow in all its forms. Over the ages, information has been transferred via many language forms such as writing, drawing, speaking, listening and moving. Through these language forms we have had virtually unlimited ways to spread information around the globe. That said, information can be fact or fiction, research, or speculation; even wilfully twisted to achieve some perverse purpose.

How can we really distinguish real information from fake information? A source perceived as reliable might be one possibility: scientific reports, trustworthy news channels, intellectual articles. Truth still cannot be guaranteed; being able to recognise authenticity remains a challenge. That is why it is paramount that we use our intelligence to filter information we receive and gather. Reflection and discussion are also essential steps within this analytical process. Only then, we can decide which information is worth absorbing or disregarding. As a result, society has been driven into blind vicious circles by misleading information in all its forms to steer us away from issues that really matter. Issues are researched, exposed, discussed, classified, hidden even within and between decision making clusters. Sadly, their decisions are not always made for the good of all.

When it comes to distinguishing what is information, it is clear not everyone is capable of doing this. Often we rely on one or more people to do this for us, which may not always yield accurate results. Raw information has often been chewed over before society can access it; the nutritional essences have been removed just leaving a sour dough for the manipulated masses. Politics is a manipulative master. It does not act on its own, but in partnership to further its own agendas. These partners may be in the Private, Public or even Third Sector institutions. This process may not always start within the political arena, but will often be formalised and made accessible by politicians. Ambiguous interests lie amongst us in many forms. In our ideal world, we would want our information to be solid and reliable, no matter how hard it might be to digest and swallow. In reality, it is for the main part delivered to us with missing parts.

We have had many examples of damaging partnerships through history. Maybe the most toxic of all, are some partnerships between politics and religion. Although one would hope that politics are for the main part secular, this partnership is often very fluid. This combination of two powers has not only been challenging within many cultures and nations but has also created obstacles for those who wish to develop their spirituality. Religious institutions and their sometimes controlling agendas can discredit the knowledge of the Divine Path (teachings and/or commandments), making it harder to approach this subject or to even discuss it. A distinct lack of inclusivity can arise from those already active in religious or intellectual circles so more and more ordinary people simply get left out and/or lose interest. However, the information is still out there, available to anyone who may be interested. But first you have to make an effort to become conscious of the real world.

Knowledge comes from curiosity and a desire to know the unknown. That happens when we search for answers, exploring sources, dig in mysterious spaces and analyse all the information we gather. This is a common process for transformation from ignorance to wisdom. As mentioned before gathering information is a choice: whether you acknowledge it or ignore it. The way I see it is that to have a fulfilled and meaningful life, it is of paramount importance to be aware of our surroundings and be willing to dig deeper into veiled areas. Basic information gives us a background for survival, whereas advanced information gives us perspective for improvement. There are many places where we can search for information. Since time immemorial, we have searched for and fine-tuned our knowledge within many fields including: physics, biology, chemistry, mathematics, literature, art, philosophy and religion.

These fields of knowledge are interlinked and complement each other in many ways. Academic research has proven that there is a relevant parallel between science and religion and their connectivity with theories, facts, fiction, speculation and faith. The faith factor is of paramount importance in this process. Without it, you won´t process the information with an open mind and an open heart, but possibly with disbelief and cynicism. We cannot engage with religious teachings without questioning them. Science is an important tool in this process. It is in fact, a search for meaning to life and evolution. There are many channels that lead us towards developing our own spirituality and connectivity with the Superior Energy, but first we must be willing to do so. Some of those channels are quite well-known, such as: "The Seven Valleys and The Four Valleys" (Baha'i), "Tipitaka" (Buddhism), "The Holy Bible" (Christianity), "The Vedas and The Upanishads" (Hinduism), "The Quran and The Book of Hadith" (Islam), "The Agamas" (Jainism), "The Tanakh and The Talmud" (Judaism), "The Kojiki" (Shintoism), "The Guru Granth Sahib" (Sikhism), "Dao De Jing" (Taoism), "The Book of Shadows" (Wicca), and "The Avesta" (Zoroastrianism).

These texts are considered by their followers to be sacred and are associated with religions, cults and ideologies. Their followers would say that they guide humankind along its mortal journey towards a spiritual evolution, each somehow craving to experience the Divine. My personal view is that any text and teachings that do not preach and promote love between all people, be they believers or non-believers, is not spiritual guidance, but profane. These texts and teachings are different from philosophical texts and teachings, which in their own ways offer a different kind of guidance. Although both fields pursue an understanding of our existence and its purpose, philosophical texts and teachings focus on ideas, concepts, theories and epistemologies rather than spirituality. As a Christian, both my chosen spiritual path and philosophy have been guided by the teachings and commandments of Jesus Christ as described in The Holy Bible. This sacred text is the starting point for my explorative journey to hypothetically unveil the many metaphors contained therein.

This journey is neither a religious statement nor should be seen as spiritual guidance; it is an exploration of a book, the content of which is regarded by many as dubious and arguable. The content of The Holy Bible is regarded by many as inhuman; absurd; disturbing; controversial; fake; misleading; harmful; a fairy tale; irrelevant; myth. Whereas for others, it is sacred; holy; a guide; enlightening; fulfilling; a forecast for the future and guidance on how to achieve eternal life. I believe that the only way to learn is to investigate. This will be an exciting journey free of preconceptions and prejudice; an extraordinary journey, filled with adventure, magic, miracles and supernatural stories that have shaped, scared, mislead, been misbelieved by and astonished humankind. To truly learn from and feel nourished by The Holy Bible, you must first put aside your scepticism, dogmas and assumptions, embracing it with open soul. It is like reading a Marvel comic, featuring characters with superpowers in amazing scenarios with a gripping narrative. Having your own point of view about something rather than following the masses comes without a price. We can be entertained but we can also be instructed.

There is no better way to start a story than this…

Once upon a time, thousands of years after the beginning of everything, humankind emerged and organised itself into communities now called civilisation. During this period, humankind evolved and improved itself, developing languages and other means to enable communication. The use of symbols and eventually the written word was one of the most effective ways to communicate, thus making it easier to exchange information. Since then, information has been spread and shared throughout history. The Holy Bible, a magical and mysterious book that narrates fantastic events was finally written. It tells stories of all the living things that have been created in our world. Its content was and still is widely believed to be the result of divinely inspired dreams; cryptic forecasts of the future that hold the secret to eternal life. Apparently, it took one thousand five hundred years to complete the collection of sub-books written by "ordinary" people, from pastors to fishermen as well as prophets. It was firstly written in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek and the oldest existing copy from the early 4th century and drafted on parchment paper has been preserved in the Vatican Library. Since then, this book has been written, re-written, copied, translated and interpreted in many other languages, forms, visions and creeds.

The Holy Bible has been described by many as fairy tale, although according to religious faith it is not. It has inspired many stories as its main plot develops around the battle between good and evil. But it goes far beyond that. It holds fantastic stories of blessings and curses upon nations and kingdoms: upon kings, nobility and working folk, mostly carried out by ordinary people. Acceptance of the existence of this sacred text has been acknowledged by the majority of people but it has also been criticised by many. It is considered to be the bestseller of all times, an influential force on history, literature, entertainment and culture worldwide. We cannot state that The Holy Bible is the first written book in history. The mythological Gilgamesh Epic appeared around the same period in time. Either way, both books share some of the same themes in their narratives, despite their different contexts and motifs.

As mentioned before, the partnership between politics and religion has contributed towards a diminishing and discrediting spiritual development of the masses whether they are invested in their spiritual development or not. The original copy of The Holy Bible is allegedly held by a religious institution. It is hidden in a secret library accessible to only a small elite cluster, who pretentiously claim to be guardians of the divine words on God´s behalf. Although this library is open to the public for academic purposes, how much access is really allowed by this institution and how much of their writings is genuine? The original copy is held by one strand of Christianity when it should surely be shared by all strands of Christianity. It is said that the closest version to the original word-for-word and readable version of The Holy Bible is considered to be The New American Standard Bible. There are still uncertainties that have blurred society for centuries. Such an important book, not only religiously, but historically should surely be made readily available in duplicate copies for anyone to read, be it in public libraries or museums. I wonder if all this secrecy is perhaps because humankind is not ready to face the truth or capable of understanding the divine messages without an interpreter anointed by God. Or is it all part of a toxic controlling system that we have been manipulated by since the beginning of time? Either way, it makes this journey even more exciting.

Even though The Holy Bible was written more than a thousand years ago, it is still a current source of information about the world we live in and provides messages about the purpose of humankind: extraordinary, arguably unbelievable stories and events have been researched and studied since it was first written. Such daring endeavours have been carried out by teams of researchers and scientists from many different fields. They have gathered to analyse information and to search for answers relating to life and its evolution. They have also attempted to obtain proof and confirmation of these stories, events and their fantastic characters. Although every sub-book inside The Holy Bible has its own version written by various writers, the core remains. One could say here has been a hunting expedition, which has found and linked missing pieces of this complex jigsaw of humankind and its purpose. It cannot be denied that it is a religious statement concerning God´s deeds and words of God's creations. God enlightened and inspired men to write this book as co-authors, to spread God's principles of forgiveness, compassion, kindness, hope, love, salvation and eternal life.

In modern times, we are fascinated and intrigued by many story books and comics. The main reason is that their stories have always had battles between good and evil; wars between kingdoms and worlds; a hunt for treasure; magic and supernatural powers; a search for the unknown and for wisdom. Is real life an imitation of fantasy or vice versa?! Either way, the battle between good and evil is all around us. We experience it in our day to day lives, arguably with even more complex layers than those found in fantasy stories. The endings to our real life stories are dependent on the choices and decisions we make and their context, with or without regrets. As in any story, we enact our own character within our surroundings, juxtaposed with other performers across many stages. Plots develop within the web of our experiences, endeavours, battles, wins and losses that scope our own journey. Some people aim for material rewards, others for spiritual evolution leading to eternal life. For those of us following a spiritual path, perhaps the greatest question of all is: after we breathe our last breath, what comes next?

In life as in fiction, the journey is never easy. There are obstacles, challenges, enemies, battles, failures, successes, lessons to be learned and so on. Sometimes it seems easier for some than for others, but everyone has an individual path that they choose to follow. Some people only focus on their development as a mere mortal defined by material achievements and the so called glories of society. Whereas others also focus on their improvement as a person, which may take them to a spiritual level. In this case, with or without religious guidance, there is spiritual evolution that leads us towards a meaningful destination. When it comes to life after death, spiritual development is pre-eminent and disbelief can gain currency. It is arguably much easier for someone to believe in wizards, magic and the supernatural if they fulfil expectations, cravings and fill voids. Either way, there is a need for faith, belief and hope. The easier way that requires less effort is invariably the more attractive one, especially when information acquired is that which is wished for. The tougher way: to achieve spiritual evolution requires resignation, sometimes travelling down narrow and perilous paths where hard decisions must be made. Many people may say that those who follow this path are deluded.

The Holy Bible and its stories are often widely used and mocked when their legitimacy is questioned. Maybe Christianity has not helped much with its controlling style and the way it imposes just one truth. That should not be an excuse to disrespect such beliefs. Significant mistrust often comes from those same people who have also chased magic, miracles and supernatural events throughout their entire lives. Contradictions and hypocrisy often rise up in this increasingly cynical world we live in, where instant gratification is often craved for. An intelligent discussion always leads to blank spaces requiring further development to fill them. Surely that should also happen when spirituality is explored as a subject, be it in a scientific or religious context, in parallel or in isolation. Listening to hypotheses or criticism without proper founded research, is surely a foolish endeavour. There were times when The Holy Bible was a forbidden text, not only to read but also to copy, translate, interpret or discuss. It has still been forbidden in certain cultures. Could it be possible that one day it could be forbidden worldwide? Could a global body emerge, with a "Moral Evaluation Board" to govern the wellbeing of all? The knowledge we think we have, might be lost without us even knowing if what replaces it is to be trusted. This censure of all kinds of knowledge is already happening, perhaps more often and to a greater extent that we are aware of.

As stated previously, The Holy Bible is the starting point for my explorative journey to hypothetically unveil the many metaphors contained therein. It is a precious tool that will guide us towards a revealing and fulfilling doctrine. Curiosity is key. What would life be without mystery and controversy? Predictable and boring for sure. Whatever path life may take us on, with or without guidance, we must face it with an open mind, heart and soul. If a sacred text preaches love, surely it is worthy of consideration. Life often gets the best of us, but faith is an antidote that can inspire us to continue. The Holy Bible holds and sums up a universal and amazing message and the words contained therein, be they written, re-written, copied, printed, interpreted or translated, over and over again throughout time, all have a central theme: love. These words were spoken by Jesus Christ (Master, Christ, Messiah, Saviour, Teacher, Wizard, whatever your vision of Him is). Jesus Christ did not create a religion or any cult in his own name. His legacy was his teachings and commandments. Even though the original source of The Holy Bible cannot be proven and the version we know may be incomplete, the message is:

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind - Love your neighbour as yourself." (Matthew 22:36-40).

Even if you are not a believer, surely the message to love your neighbour will guide you to a more fulfilling life.

Leandro Bernardes, 2020.