God, the "Great Iconoclast."
  • Alma Turner
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          • Sayings 61, 62, 63
          • Sayings 64, 65, 66
          • Sayings 73, 74, 75
          • Sayings 76, 77, 78
          • Sayings 100, 101, 102
          • Sayings 103, 104, 105
          • Sayings 106, 107, 108
          • Sayings 109, 110, 111
          • Sayings 112, 113, 114
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The Gospel of Thomas

Sayings of Jesus: 61, 62, 63


Saying 61
Jesus said: Two will lie down on one bed; one will die and the other will live.
Salome asked him: Who are you, man? As though coming from someone, you have come to my couch and eaten from my table.
Jesus replied: I am he who comes into being from him who is the same. Some of the things of my Father have been given to me.
(Salome) said: I am your disciple.
(Jesus said:) Therefore I say that if one is unified one will be filled with light but if one is divided one will be filled with darkness. 
​

Jesus and Salome chat. Death and life are not measurable by a stethoscope. I can die without anyone realizing it. So the "two" that lie down in the bed could just be house-divided-against-itself me.
Salome questions Jesus' authority to say such a thing. Jesus says "I am he who comes into being from him who is the same..." Jesus was baptized by John. Is he saying he is just like other men who also "came into being?" I came into being through a man named Richard who took me through the steps. Others have been brought into being through me. We all have the same Father-Mother-Source God, which is in each of us. 
​Something Jesus said, her experience of it (goosebumps? a sudden awakening "aha" like the centurion?), convinced Salome of his authenticity and she became willing to follow him, become his disciple.  If she is the same woman who had John the Baptist decapitated, this is a major conversion experience! She went on to become one of the women to go to the tomb to anoint Jesus. 
Salome was dead, full to the max of darkness commanding the execution of John, and now is full of light, just like me.

​
Saying 62
Jesus said: I tell my mysteries to people worthy of my mysteries. Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.

My "inner mocker," "silent sneerer," "cruel cold heart," doesn't get to know the sincerity with which my faithful, sincere, believer reaches out to love, to find, to seek, to know, to be taken past my bullshit.  I no longer try to reason with my own insanity; that only leads to still greater insanity and mental torture. 

Saying 63
Jesus said: Once there was a rich man who had lots of money, and he said, "I will invest my money so that I can sow, reap, plant, and fill up my silos with crops so that I won't lack anything." So he thought, but that night he died. He who has ears, let him hear. 


I have money in the bank and a shriveled heart!!! All that money invested and no love, no investment in people, in supporting their empowerment, the most important things that make life worth living!
People need money! Do you really need that fancy vacation? What about underpaid employees? What about your broke friends? What about starting a business that gives people a job? He "took care of himself" so well that he lost his connection to God, to others, his rudder, his purpose, his roots, his life!


  • Alma Turner
    • Alma Turner
    • Site Overview
    • Alma's Blessings
  • 12 Steps
    • Step 1: Humility >
      • Step One Questions
    • Step 2: Hope
    • Step 3: Faith
    • Step 4: Honesty >
      • Money Inventory
    • Step 5: Trust
    • Step 6: Willingness
    • Step 7: Surrender
    • Step 8: Forgiveness
    • Step 9: Justice >
      • Amend White to Black
    • Step 10: Perseverance >
      • Fear Watch
    • Step 11: Contact
    • Step 12: Service
  • Poems, Prayers, Music
    • Beloved Poems by Others >
      • I Stand at the Door by Sam Shoemaker
      • Prayer to the Great Spirit
      • The Guest House by Rumi
      • The Invitation by Oriah
      • Elohai Neshama
    • Poems by Alma >
      • Poems 2017-2020
      • More Poems by Year >
        • Poems 2021
        • Poems 2022
        • Poems 2023
        • Poems 2024
      • Clay Haiku
      • Beatitude Poems
      • Hurricane Ida Poems
      • Prayer Poems
      • Injustice Poems
    • Big Book Prayers
    • Variations on the Familiar >
      • Lord's Prayer Variations
      • Serenity Prayer Variation
      • Creed Variation
      • Psalm Variations
      • Parables etc Variations
      • Invictus Variations
    • Letters
    • Music >
      • Roberta Flack
      • Marvin Gaye
  • more
    • Bible Thoughts >
      • Count the Omer
      • yeshua hamashiach >
        • Books on the Journey to J
        • Brown or Black
        • Teacher
        • Son of Man
        • Activist
        • High Priest
        • Innocent
        • Lynched
        • Alive
        • Sayings >
          • Sayings 1-3
          • Sayings 4-6
          • Sayings 7-9
          • Sayings 10-12
          • Sayings 13-15
          • Sayings 16-18
          • Sayings 19-21
          • Sayings 22-24
          • Sayings 25-27
          • Sayings 28-30
          • Sayings 31-33
          • Sayings 34-36
          • Sayings 37, 38, 39
          • Sayings 40, 41, 42
          • Sayings 43, 44, 45
          • Sayings 46, 47, 48
          • Sayings 49, 50, 51
          • Sayings 52, 53, 54
          • Sayings 55, 56, 57
          • Sayings 58, 59, 60
          • Sayings 61, 62, 63
          • Sayings 64, 65, 66
          • Sayings 73, 74, 75
          • Sayings 76, 77, 78
          • Sayings 100, 101, 102
          • Sayings 103, 104, 105
          • Sayings 106, 107, 108
          • Sayings 109, 110, 111
          • Sayings 112, 113, 114
      • Genesis >
        • High Priest
        • Jacob is Israel.
      • Prophets >
        • Isaiah 30
        • Isaiah 54
        • Jeremiah 31:31-35
      • Frederick Douglas
    • Disciplines >
      • Fasting
      • Lectio Divina and Centering Prayer
      • Reading!
      • 12 White Steps
    • The Gospel of Thomas
    • Psalms >
      • Psalms for Mercy
      • Psalms 23, 46, 91, 139
      • Psalms 121, 1, and 32
    • The Odes of Solomon >
      • Ode 38
    • The Symbol >
      • The Circle and Triangle
    • Blog
    • Preparations
    • A Suggestion